S'.%'=^](^X^ 


^  PRINCETON,  N.  J.  ^^jf 


Presented    by  C^ne^   U^\VAVnor^6    O^AXTvV 


Diinsioti  ....Jl^Z^.S  G)  O  CD 
Section  i.r.V-^**^ 


COp^    I 


A  COnnENTARY 


ON  THE 


Prophecy  of  Habakkuk 


BY  THE 


REV.  JAHES  F.  KENNEDY,  D.  D. 


CHAMBERSBURG,  PA. 


CHAMBERSBURQ,   PA.: 

FRANKLIN  REPOSITORY  PRESS: 

1896. 


Copyrighted,  1895, 
By  James   F.   Kennedy. 


THE  PREFACE. 


Nearly  fifty  years  ago,  when  the  bright  light  of  heaven 
shone  around  my  path-way,  I  commenced  the  study  of  the 
prophecy  of  Habakkuk,  being  convinced  that  among  the 
Minor  Prophets  he  ranks  as  one  of  the  most  interesting  and 
important.  Soon,  in  the  mysterious  Providence  of  God, 
darkness  settled  down  on  me;  crippled  by  this  experience,  all 
special  study  was  laid  aside  for  several  years,  my  time  being 
devoted  to  the  duties  then  required  ot  me  as  pastor  of  the 
Dickinson  church  in  the  Presbytery  of  Carlisle.  At  inter- 
vals in  after  years  friends  kindly  offered  to  be  eyes  for  the 
blind.  I  must  mention  here  my  wife,  Louisa  W.  Kennedy,  the 
Rev.  Cornelius  R.  Lane,  D.  D.,  a  fellow-member  of  the  fac- 
ulty of  Wilson  Female  College,  the  Rev.  H.  R.  Schenck, 
pastor,  and  Mr.  W.  G.  Reed,  elder,  of  the  Falling  Spring 
Church.  By  their  aid  I  now,  after  passing  the  allotted  years 
of  three  score  and  ten,  am  able  to  present  this  work,  in  the 
hope  that  its  readers  will  gain  a  plainer  insight  into  the 
glorious  truths  presented  by  this  prophet  of  old.  Much  ex- 
egetical  matter  has  been  omitted  in  this  effort  to  present  the 
interpretation  of  the  prophecy  clearly  and  fully.  Though 
prosecuted  under  serious  difficulties,  the  work  has  been  a 
source  of  great  pleasure  to  me.  If  this  pleasure  is  shared  by 
my  friends,  and  my  labor  in  any  way  redounds  to  the  glory 
of  God,  through  the  better  understanding  of  His  Word,  I 
will  feel  abundantly  rewarded. 

JAMES  F.  KENNEDY. 


INTRODUCTION  TO  HABAKKUK. 

I.    NAME  OF  THE  PROPHET. 

1.  The  proper  names  of  the  ancient  Hebrews  form  an 
interesting  subject  of  study  on  account  of  their  significance. 
The  newborn  child  was  named  by  the  parents  or  relations, 
and  sometimes  even  by  its  neighbors,  in  view  of  some  event 
connected  with  its  birth  or  appearance,  the  religious  senti- 
ments of  the  parents,  or  the  hopes  entertained  respecting  its 
future  welfare.  Under  the  superintending  care  of  the  God 
of  Israel,  the  names  of  many  who  hold  an  important  place 
in  the  church  foreshadowed  their  character  or  their  work. 
Examples  of  this  kind  may  be  seen  in  the  names  of  Mel- 
chizedeck,  (King  of  righteousness,)  Solomon,  (peace,)  Isaiah, 
(Jehovah  is  my  Salvation,)  Malachi,  (My  Messenger.)  So 
much  importance  indeed  was  attached  to  personal  appel- 
lations, that  God  Himself  sometimes  gave  the  name,  as  in  the 
case  of  His  own  son,  or  changed  a  name  in  order  to  express 
some  interesting  truth  in  the  history  of  the  individual,  as  in 
the  case  of  Abraham  and  Israel. 

2.  The  name  of  the  Prophet  Habakkuk  is  written  in  the 
Septuagint,  Ambakoum.  There  is  much  variety  in  its  or- 
thography among  early  Greek  authors.  Its  usual  Latin 
form  was  Habacuc,  but  the  English  orthography  agrees 
more  closely  with  the  original  Hebrew  than  either  the  Greek 
or  Latin  form.  It  is  derived  from  the  verbal  root  Hhabhak, 
and  the  reduplication  of  the  last  radical  in  its  formation  in- 
dicates the  intensity  of  the  action  expressed  by  the  verb. 
Abarbanel  and  Jerome  interpret  the  verb  to  mean  "wrestle" 
or  "struggle"  and  the  noun  "a  wrestler"  or  "struggler" 
"luctator  fortis  ac  rigidus".     This  designates  him  as  one  who 


6  A    COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

strove  earnestly  with  God    in  behalf  of  His  people.     This 
interpretation    is    fonnded  upon  a  mistaken  application    to 
this  root  of  the  sitrnification  of  another  verb  whose  radicals 
are  similar.     Hhabhak    is    correctly    interpreted    "to    fold 
one's  hands,"  and  in  the  Piel,  "to  embrace,"  hence  Habakkuk 
signifies    "embracing"   when  applied  to  a  person  actively, 
"one      who      embraces,"     or      passively,     "one     wlio     is 
embraced."     Luther   adopts    the  active    sense    and  thinks 
that   his    name    is    intended    to    describe    the    Prophet   as 
one  who  embraces  his  people  in  his  loving  heart,  seeks  to 
comfort  them  as  a  parent  embraces  his  sick  child,  and  en- 
deavors to  soothe  his  pain  by    assuring  him  he  will  be  well 
soon.     The  passive  sense  of    the    noun  is  preferable;  it  sug- 
gests the  idea  that  the  prophet  was  so  called  because  he  was 
much  embraced  by  his  parents,   his  friends,   his  people,  or 
his  God,  in  token  of  their    deep    and  abiding  regard.      An 
old  rabbinical  tradition  asserts  that  the  prophet  was  the  son 
of  the  Shunamite  woman  by  whom  the  prophet  Elisha  was 
so  hospitably    entertained,    that  he    was    called  Habakkuk 
by  his  mother,    in  memory  of  the  promise  made  to  her  by 
the  prophet,  "about  this  season,  according  to  the  time  of  life, 
thou  shalt  embrace  a  son."  H    Kings  4:16.   It  also  explains 
the  reduplication  of  the  last  radical  as  a  memento   of  the 
two  embraces  given    to    the   newborn    child,  one    by    his 
mother,  another  by  the  prophet.     This  story  is  witliout  founda- 
tion, but  it  shows  that  the  passive  signification  of  the  name 
has    the  authority  of  rabbinical  scholarship.     It    the    name 
describes  him  as  embraced  by  his  people,  then  it  expresses 
prophetically   their    future    appreciation   of  his  labor  in  re- 
proving their  sin  and  in  interceding  with  God  for  them.   If  it 
refers  to  God,   then  it  corresponds  with  the  Greek   word, 
Theophilos    and  Theophiles,   which  signify  one  beloved   of 
God,  his  child,   his  mouth-piece,  his  faithful  messenger,  a 
type  of  the  coming  Messiah.   No  interpretation  of  tlie  name, 
however,   can    be   relied    on  which  is  not  sustained  by   the 
authority  of  divine  inspiration. 


PROPHECY    OF    HABAKKUK.  7 

II.      THE   LIFE  OF  HABAKKUK. 

The  materials  for  a  biographical  sketch  of  Habakkuk  are 
extremely  meagre. 

I.  Tlie  iniormation  furnished  by  uninspired  writers  is  more 
abundant  than  that  derived  from  inspired  sources,  but 
is  not  reliable.  Abarbanel  in  his  Commentary  refers  to  the 
rabbinical  tradition  that  Habakkuk  was  the  son  of  the 
Shunamite  woman  restored  to  life  by  Elisha.  Another  tra- 
dition represents  him  as  the  sentinel  set  by  Isaiah  to  watch 
for  the  destruction  of  Babylon.  Compare  Is.  21:8;  Hab.  2: 
I.  The  superscription  of  Bel  and  the  Dragon  in  the  Sep- 
tuagint,  which  is  preserved  from  the  "Codex  Chisianus,"  is 
as  follows  :  "From  the  prophecy  of  Habakkuk,  the  son  of 
Jesus,  (or  Joshua,)  of  the  tribe  of  Levi."  Dorotheus  and 
Pseudo-Epiphanius  state  that  he  belonged  to  the  tribe  of 
Simeon,  and  was  born  at  Beth-zohar,  and  that  when  Nebu- 
chadnezzar advanced  against  Jerusalem,  he  fled  to  Ostrakim, 
a  place  whose  position  is  identified  by  the  name  Rastraki, 
which  is  still  borne  by  a  mountain  ridge  near  i\rabia  Petraea. 
Two  years  before  thejews  returned  from  the  Babylonish  cap- 
tivity he  came  back  to  his  former  homiC  in  Palestine,  where 
he  died  and  was  buried.  Eusebius  and  others  state  that  he 
was  buried  at  Keilah,  and  rabbinical  writers  mention  other 
cities  as  the  place  of  his  burial.  The  lollowing  story  is 
taken  from  an  apocryphal  addition  to  the  Book  of  Daniel, 
called  "Bel  and  the  Dragon  :"  "Now  there  was  in  Jewry  a 
prophet  called  Habakkuk  who  had  made  pottage,  and  had 
broken  bread  in  a  bowl,  and  was  going  into  the  field  for  to 
bring  it  to  the  reapers.  But  the  angel  of  the  Lord  said  imto 
Habakkuk,  Go,  carry  the  dinner  that  thou  hast,  into  Baby- 
lon, unto  Daniel,  who  is  in  the  lion's  den.  And  he  said, 
Lord,  I  never  saw  Babylon,  neither  do  I  know  where  the 
den  is.  Then  the  angel  of  the  Lord  took  him  by  the  crown, 
and  bare  him  by  the  hair  of  his  head,  and  through  the  ve- 
hemence of  His  spirit  set  him  in  Babylon  over  the  den,  and 


8  A    COMMENTARY   ON    THE 

Habakkuk  cried,  saying,  Oh,  Daniel,  take  the  dinner  God  has 
sent  thee.  And  Daniel  said,  thou  hast  remembered  me,  oh 
God,  neither  hast  thou  forsaken  them  that  seek  and  love 
Thee.  So  Daniel  arose  and  did  eat,  and  the  angel  of  the 
Lord  set  Habakkuk  in  his  own  place  immediately."  From 
this  account  it  would  appear  that  he  was  the  possessor  of  a 
portion  of  land,  and  that  he  remained  in  Palestine  when  the 
Jews  were  carried  captive  to  Babylon. 

2.     From  the  book  itself  we  learn, 

First,  that  he  was  an  educated  man  and  perhaps  a 
scribe.  This  is  implied  in  the  command  of  Jehovah  to  write 
the  vision  and  inscribe  it  on  tablets,  2:  2,  a  command  which 
we  suppose  God  designed  the  prophet  to  execute  in  person. 
He  was  well  acquainted  with  the  writings  of  the  iormer 
prophets,  and  with  the  past  history  of  his  nation,  to  which 
he  makes  several  allusions  in  chapter  3.  He  also  makes 
several  references  to  the  geography  of  the  surrounding  na- 
tions, and  declares  many  of  the  leading  doctrines  of  theology. 
His  whole  prophecy  bears  testimony  to  his  skill  in  composi- 
tion. 

Secondly.  The  mental  characteristics  of  an  inspired  man 
were  not  obliterated  by  the  Spirit  in  the  act  ot  inspiration. 
Their  writings  present  to  us  decided  marks  of  the  intellec- 
tual peculiarities  and  moral  qualities  of  authors,  so  that  their 
characters  may  be  read  Irom  their  works.  Judging  Habakkuk 
by  this  standard  we  may  describe  him  as  the  possessor  of  a 
logical  mind.  This  is  apparent  in  the  gradual  and  progres- 
sive development  of  the  prcphecy  from  the  beginning  of  the 
book  to  the  close  of  the  second  chapter,  and  again  in  the 
third  chapter,  where  he  describes  in  logical  order  the  tokens 
of  the  approach  of  Deity, — His  external  appearance  and 
conduct,  and  the  results  of  His  actions.  It  is  seen  also  in  the 
prophet's  argument  in  tavor  of  the  interference  of  Deity  for 
his  people,  chapter  i:  1-4,  and  against  their  total  destruction 
by  the  Chaldeans,  and  in  the  logical  symmetry  of  the  song 
of  the  nations,  where  he  describes  in  each  strophe  a  special 


PROPHECY    OF    HABAKKUK.  9 

sin    of  the  Chaldeans,  and  its  punishment,    and  concludes 
with  the  reason  why  they  must  be  so  treated. 

Thirdly.  He  was  also  a  man  of  lively  imagination.  This 
trait  characterizes  the  book  throughout,  in  the  frequent  use 
of  figures,  among  which  we  may  only  mention  the  compari- 
son of  the  Chaldeans  to  a  fisherman,  in  the  close  of  the  first 
chapter,  the  poetical  conception  of  putting  the  judgment 
pronounced  upon  the  Chaldeans  in  the  mouth  of  the  captive 
nations,  and  the  vivid  descriptions  of  the  theophany  in  chapter 
third.  The  song  of  the  nations  in  chapter  second  abounds 
in  illustrations  of  this  peculiarity.  In  it  he  compares  the 
Chaldeans  to  a  usurer,  who  is  laden  with  the  pledges 
taken  from  the  poor,  to  a  tempter  who  puts  a  bottle  to  his 
neighbor's  lips,  and  to  a  bird  of  prey  that  has  set  his  nest 
on  high.  He  describes  the  stone  and  the  beam  crying  out 
against  the  rapacity  of  the  Chaldeans,  and  the  future  exten- 
sion of  the  knovv^ledge  of  the  glory  of  God  is  illustrated  by 
the  waters  covering  the  sea. 

Fourthly.  The  book  also  represents  the  author  as  a  man 
of  ardent  piety.  He  manifests  a  spirit  of  prayer.  His  soul  is  filled 
with  loathing  of  the  general  corruption  of  the  people,  with 
earnest  love  for  the  church,  and  lively  interest  in  its  wel- 
fare. Like  many  of  God's  suffering  children,  he  at  first 
complains  of  Jehovah's  indifference  to  the  sins  and  sorrows 
of  Israel,  learns  to  wait  patiently  and  watch  the  develop- 
ments of  Providence,  and  then  closes  the  record  of  his  ex- 
perience with  a  joyful  acknowledgment  of  the  sovereignty 
of  God,  a  believing  confidence  in  His  love  and  care,  and  a 
touching  expression  of  his  entire  resignation  to  Jehovah's 
will. 

Fifthly.  Habakkuk  also  possessed  the  poetic  gift  in  large 
measure.  The  utterances  ot  the  prophets  are  usually  cast 
in  the  metrical  mould,  each  verse  being  divided  into  clauses 
and  each  word  accented  for  the  purpose  of  cantillation. 
This  is  true  also  of  the  Song  of  the  nations  in  chapter  2,  and  the 
Psalm  for  the  temple  service  in  chapter  3,    without    recog- 


lO  A    COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

nizing  the  difference  in  the  character  of  the  composition, 
between  them  and  the  other  parts  of  the  book.  These  pass- 
ages are  poetry,  the  rest  of  the  book  is  comparatively  prose. 

Sixthly. — His  relation  to  his  country  and  to  the  church. 
Possessing  these  personal  characteristics,  Habakkuk  came  in 
contact  with  his  nation,  possibly  as  a  Levite  and  certainly 
as  an  author  and  a  prophet.  His  connection  with  the  tribe 
of  Levi  is  very  uncertain,  and  rests  principally  upon  the  evi- 
dence of  tradition.  Many  commentators,  however,  think 
that  a  very  clear  intimation  ol  this  fact  is  furnished  by  the 
musical  direction  at  the  close  of  the  book,  "To  the  chief 
singer,  on  Shigionothai."  Delitzsch  infers  from  this  pass- 
age that  Habakkuk  was  a  Levite,  and  probably  a  priest, 
since  he  would  hardly  have  used  this  language  unless  him- 
self engaged  in  the  temple  service.  In  confirmation  of  this 
opinion  Delitzsch  appeals  to  the  style  of  the  prophecy, 
which  so  closely  resembles  that  of  the  Psalms  of  David  and 
Asaph  as  to  indicate  the  author's  familiar  acquaintance  with 
them,  and  this  we  should  naturally  expect  in  a  Levite  who 
sang  them.  In  further  confirmation  of  this  opinion,  Del- 
itzsch refers  to  the  superscription  of  "Bel  and  the  Dragon" 
in  the  Septuagint,  which  is  preserved  from  the  Codex 
Chisianus  already  quoted,  section  i.  His  arguments, 
though  ingenious,  are  inconclusive.  The  word  used  by 
Habakkuk,  and  translated  "my  stringed  instruments,"  is 
susceptible  of  a  different  interpretation,  which  may  be  found 
in  our  commentary  on  chapter  3:1.  It  is  used  by  Hezekiah, 
who  certainly  did  not  belong  to  the  tribe  of  Levi.  Famil- 
iarity with  the  Psalms  might  influence  the  style  of  any  Jew 
ot  whatever  tribe,  and  the  inscription  in  the  Codex  Chisi- 
anus, as  Delitzsch  himself  acknowledged,  is  in  itself  of  no 
critical  importance. 

Seventhly.  As  an  author,  Habakkuk  may  have  uttered 
much  to  his  nation  under  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
but  this  one  little  book  contains  all  that  he  was  directed  to 
record  for  the  edification  of  the  church.  His  style  is  marked 


PROPHECY   OF   HABAKKUK.  II 

bv  originality,  and  in  this  respect  differs  greatly  from  his 
contemporaries  Zephaniah  and  Jeremiah.  Many  modern 
critics  divide  the  prophets  into  two  schools,  one  of  which 
bears  the  name  of  Isaiah,  and  the  other  that  of  Jeremiah. 
One  of  the  most  prominent  traits  of  the  former  is  origi- 
nality, while  the  latter  is  characterized  by  frequent  quota- 
tions from  older  writers.  Habakkuk  is  classed  with  Isaiah 
rather  than  with  Jeremiah.  Perspicuity  is  also  a  marked 
feature  of  his  composition.  There  is  one  passage,  however, 
in  chapter  3:9,  vv^hich  is  regarded  by  many  as  one  of  the 
most  obscure  in  the  Bible.  It  has  received  more  than  one 
hundred  different  interpretations.  He  uses  several  words 
which  are  found  nowhere  else  in  the  Hebrew  Scriptures. 
These  are  m'gammah  (1:9,)  abh'tit,  (2:6,)  kikalon,  (2:16.) 
They  were  probably  in  common  use  in  his  day,  and  may 
have  had  a  place  in  the  language  at  a  much  earlier  date. 
His  diction  is  concise  and  forcible.  His  parallelisms  are  reg- 
ular. His  book  is  a  unit.  Its  thought  makes  constant 
progress  from  bt  ginning  to  end,  and  each  part  is  essential 
to  the  completeness  of  the  whole.  The  book  is  replete 
with  beautiful  imagery,  and  the  description  of  the  theo- 
phany  in  chapter  3  is  one  of  the  most  sublime  passages  in 
the  Word  of  God. 

Eighthly.  Habakkuk  was  a  prophet.  The  Hebrew  word 
for  prophet,  nabhi,  is  derived  from  the  verbal  root  nabha, 
which  is  never  found  in  the  Hebrew  Scripture,  except  in  its 
passive  and  reflexive  forms.  It  was,  however,  in  common 
use  in  all  the  other  languages  belonging  to  the  Semitic 
family.  The  meaning  most  generally  assigned  to  it  is  "to 
pour  forth,  to  utter."  Ewald  gives  it  the  specific  sense  "to 
speak  for  another."  Gesenius  thinks  it  always  involves  the 
idea  of  speaking  under  some  controlling  influence,  and  this 
view  is  generally  adopted  by  British  scholars.  Redslob  as- 
cribes to  it  the  specific  signification  "to  baptize  with,  or  im- 
merse in  a  spirit."  In  accordance  with  these  interpretations 
of  the  root  nabha,  the  noun  nabhi  is  said  by  some  to  have 


13  A    COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

the  active  sense  of  "one  who  speaks",  or,  as  Ewald  thinks, 
"one  who  speaks  for  another,"  and  by  others,  to  have  the 
passive  or  objective  force  of  "  one  who  receives  a  communi- 
cation or  who  acts  under  some  spiritual  influence  with 
which  he  is  baptized."  The  passive  signification  is  the 
more  common  in  nouns  of  the  class  to  which  nabhi  belongs, 
but  an  appeal  to  the  usage  of  the  word  in  the  Scriptures, 
proves  conclusively  that  the  active  is  its  true  sense.  The 
most  important  passage  of  Scripture  on  this  point  is  con- 
tained in  Ex.  7:  I,  2.  "The  Lord  said  unto  Moses,  see,  I 
have  made  thee  a  god  unto  Pharaoh,  and  Aaron 
thy  brother  shall  be  thy  prophet.  Thou  shalt  speak  all 
that  I  command  thee,  and  Aaron  thy  brother  shalt  speak 
unto  Pharaoh,  that  he  shall  send  the  children  of  Israel  out 
of  his  land."  Here  the  word  has  the  precise  sense  of  spokes- 
man. Aaron  was  Moses'  prophet,  because  he  was  the  organ 
of  communication  between  him  and  the  Egyptians. 
This  signification  suits  the  word  wherever  it  occurs  in 
the  Scriptures.  When  the  word  is  used  to  designate  a 
prophet  of  Jehovah,  we  must  understand  by  it  "a  spokes- 
man," one  who  is  an  organ  of  communication  be- 
tween Jehovah  and  man.  The  term  prophet  is  not 
applied  in  the  Scriptures  to  all  who  were  inspired  men.  It 
is  not  used  to  describe  those  whose  inspiration  was  merely 
occasional,  such  as  Eldad,  Medad  and  Balaam,  but  desig- 
nates the  person  to  whom  the  title  is  given,  one  who  holds 
the  office  of  prophet  and  also  possesses  the  gift  of  inspiration. 
Others  also,  like  David  and  Daniel,  whose  inspiration  was 
but  temporary,  do  not  receive  the  title,  and  this  is  accounted 
for  by  supposing  that  such  were  regarded  as  more  honorable. 
From  these  considerations,  we  infer  that  Habakkuk  possessed 
both  the  office  and  gift  of  prophecy,  and  that  he  held  no 
higher  position  in  the  Jewish  commonwealth. 

Habakkuk  did  not  take  this  office  upon  himself,  but  was 
called  of  God.  No  one,  indeed,  might  assume  or  decline  it 
at  pleasure.     It  was  the  gift  of  Jehovah,  and  in   the  exer- 


PROPHECY    OF    HABAKKUK.  I 3 

cise  oi  His  sovereignty.  He  bestowed  it  on  whomsoever 
He  pleased.  Several  of  the  patriarchs  are  known  to  have 
possessed  it,  and  it  is  possible  that  each  successive  head  of 
the  family  which  was  chosen  by  God  to  be  the  recipient  of 
His  grace,  held  the  official  position  of  a  prophet  of  God. 
Enoch,  Noah,  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  are  instances  of 

• 

the  kind,  and  it  is  not  likely  that  God,  from  whom  all  truth 
must  come,  would  leave  Himself  without  a  spokesman  in 
any  of  those  early  generations  when  there  could  be  no  writ- 
ten revelation.  In  John  11:51  we  read  "And  this  spake  he 
not  of  himself,  but  being  high  priest  that  year,  he  prophe- 
sied that  Jesus  died  for  that  nation."  This  passage  renders 
it  possible  that  the  high  priests  also  were  prophets  ex-officio. 
It  is  certain  that  Jehovah  selected  certain  individuals  in 
various  ages  of  the  world  to  be  his  spokesmen,  and,  that  in 
His  selection.  He  was  governed  by  no  human  considerations. 
The  gift  of  prophecy  was  bestowed  on  both  the  old  and 
young,  male  and  female,  high  and  low,  educated  men  and 
untaught  husbandmen,  the  righteous  and  the  wicked,  Israel- 
ites and  foreigners.  The  one  thing  essential  to  the  pro- 
phetic office  was  the  appointment  of  God. 

In  order  to  qualify  him  for  the  office  to  which  he  had  been 
called,  Habakkuk  received  the  gift  of  inspiration.  This  was 
an  influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost  upon  the  minds  of  certain 
select  men,  which  made  them  the  organs  ot  God  for  the  in- 
fallible communications  of  His  mind  and  will.  We  cannot 
enter  the  mind  of  the  Holy  Spirit  and  describe  the  mode  in 
which  He  affects  the  mind  of  man  in  inspiration.  It  is  plain, 
however,  that  it  differs  from  the  mode  in  which  He  creates, 
illuminates,  regenerates,  sanctifies,  or  raises  from  the  dead. 
The  Scriptures  furnish  us  with  such  descriptions  of  the  in- 
fluence by  the  Holy  Ghost  as  the  following  :  "Thus  saith 
the  Lord,"  "The  word  of  the  Lord  came  to  the  prophet," 
"The  Spirit  came  upon  him,"  "The  power,  or  hand,  of  God 
was  upon  him,"  "Thev  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,"  i.  e.,  so  that,  just  as  a  ship  is  borne  along  by 


14  A   COMMENTARY   ON    THE 

the  wind,  so  are  the  prophets  moved  by  the  Spirit.  Inspi- 
ration, then,  was  a  peculiar,  mighty  and  sovereign  influence 
of  the  Spirit. 

In  order  that  a  prophet  might  communicate  God's  will  to 
others,  necessity  required  that  it  first  be  revealed  to  himself. 
This  was  done  occasionally  by  an  audible  voice,  sometimes 
by  a  dream  or  vision,  or  by  the  suggestion  of  the  truth  to 
the  prophet's  mind.  The  mental  condition  of  the  prophets 
while  receiving  a  revelation  corresponds  to  the  character  of 
the  influence  exerted  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  their  inspiration 
being  but  merely  that  of  superior  knowledge,  genius  or 
piety.  It  was  neither  morbid  nor  unnatural,  but  healthy 
and  preternatural.  All  the  powers  of  mind  whose  exercise 
was  needed  were  in  full  activity,  though  swayed  by  the 
Spirit,  according  to  His  will.  The  prophets  retained  their 
own  consciousness  and  sell-possession.  Their  spirits  were 
subject  to  them,  while  they  willingly  yielded  themselves  to 
the  moving  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  They  were  sometimes  un- 
aware of  the  fact  that  they  were  inspired,  and  often  did  not 
comprehend  the  full  meaning  of  what  they  uttered.  The 
union  between  the  two  elements  of  our  personality  is  so 
close,  that  the  body  always  sympathizes  with  the  mind,  or 
obeys  its  dictates.  Hence,  during  inspiration,  the  body 
sometimes  lies  entirely  passive,  as  in  sleep,  and  at  other 
times  executes  the  interests  of  the  mind  by  looking,  hearing, 
speaking,  writing,  moving,  and  rarely  by  such  excitement 
of  the  muscular  system  as  indicates  intense  mental  emotion. 
Among  the  heathen  the  last  was  regarded  as  the  special  and 
characteristic  effect  of  inspiration,  and  this  may  account  for 
the  fact  that  one  of  the  oldest  Greek  names  for  a  prophet, 
mantis,  is  derived  from  the  verb  maneo,  to  rave,  to  be  mad. 
The  Holy  Ghost  not  only  revealed  God's  will  to  men,  but  so 
superintended  the  prophets  in  the  act  of  dictating  it  to  others, 
that  they  were  the  immediate  organs  of  communication  be- 
tween God  and  man.  Much  that  was  uttered  by  the  prophets 
was  left  unrecorded,  but  other  portions,  like  the  book  of  Ha- 


PROPHECY    OF    HABAKKUK.  I 5 

bakkuk,  were  written  down  under  the  superintendence  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  These  books  constitute  the  inspired 
Word  of  God.  What  the  Spirit  revealed  to  the  prophets, 
they  dictated  to  others.  God  spake  in  them,  so  that  what  they 
said  God  said.  Their  messages  came  to  men  with  all  the 
authority  of  Jehovah  Himself  They  were  free  from  all  pos- 
sible error,  and  contained  just  the  truths  which  were  appro- 
priate in  the  judgment  of  infinite  wisdom  to  the  time,  place, 
and  circumstances  in  which  they  were  delivered.  These  at- 
tributes of  authority  and  infallibility  belonged  to  all  their 
utterances  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  whether  historical,  doc- 
trinal, practical,  or  prophetic.  So  Habakkuk  spake  as  the 
prophet  of  God,  and  all  that  he  uttered  in  God's  name  is  the 
Word  of  God,  whether  he  complains  of  the  sinfulness  of  the 
people,  predicts  the  punishment  of  Judah  and  of  Babylon, 
declares  the  great  principles  of  God's  Kingdom,  utters  his 
amazement  at  God's  dealings  with  His  people,  or  asserts  his 
own  confident  trust  in  the  covenant  God  of  Israel.  The 
prophets  sustained  a  close  relation  to  each  other  as  members 
of  the  same  order  and  heralds  of  the  one  Word  of  God.  In- 
finite wisdom  gave  to  each  one  his  place  among  his  breth- 
ren, and  his  special  work,  and  it  his  communication  w^as 
written  down  for  the  benefit  of  the  church,  assigned  to  it  its 
proper  place  in  the  canon  of  Scripture.  In  order  to  com- 
prehend the  relations  which  Habakkuk  sustained  we  must 
first  determine  the  date  of  his  prophecy. 

III.  DATE  OF  THE  PROPHECY. 

I.  The  period  embraced  by  the  various  hypotheses  res- 
pecting the  date  of  this  prophecy  extends  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  reign  of  Mauasseh  to  the  close  of  the  Babylonish 
captivity.  The  history  of  the  kingdom  of  Judah  during 
this  time  is  of  great  importance  in  the  discussion  of  this 
question. 

To  the  east  of  Judah  lay  Assyria  and  Chaldea;  to  the 
southwest,  Egypt.  Assyria  had  long  been  the  ruling 
power  in  Central  Asia.     Chaldea  or  Babylonia  was  a  con- 


1 6  A    COMMENTARY   ON    THE 

stituent  part  of  the  Assyrian  empire,  though  it  had  its  own 
king.  Egypt  was  the  ruling  power  in  North  Africa.  Judah 
lay  between  the  two,  and  would  in  all  probability  become 
tributary-  to  either  power  as  circumstances  might  determine, 
because  it  was  too  teeble  to  resist  successfully  an  attack 
from  either.  During  the  reign  of  Manasseh,  Assyria 
had  obtained  so  much  control  over  Tudah  that  Manasseh 
himself  was  carried  away  to  Babylon,  where  he  was  held  for 
a  time  in  captivity  and  finally  restored  to  his  throne.  He 
reigned  55  years  in  Jerusalem,  B.  C.  699  to  644.  "He  did 
that  which  was  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  and  he  made 
Judah  and  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  to  err  and  do  worse 
than  the  heathen  whom  the  Lord  destroyed  before  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,"  2  Chron.  33:1 1  etc.  "Therefore  the  Lord  com- 
manded that  Judah  should  be  cast  out  of  His  sight  for  the 
sins  of  Manasseh,"  2  Kings  24:3.  The  Lord  consequently 
gave  him  into  the  hands  of  the  Assyrians,  by  whom  he  was 
led  into  captivity  at  Babylon,  where  the  Assyrian  King  was 
probably  holding  his  court  at  the  time.  Here  Manasseh 
repented  and  humbled  himself  before  the  Lord,  who  restored 
him  to  his  kingdom.  On  his  return  he  purified  the  temple 
and  the  city  of  Jerusalem,  removed  the  strange  gods  and  the 
altars  devoted  to  their  service,  and  commanded  Judah  to 
serve  the  Lord.  King  Amon  succeeded  him,  and  reigned 
two  years.  It  is  possible  that  these  were  but  parts  of  years 
reckoned  as  whole  years,  according  to  Hebrew  custom,  so 
that  they  may  add  but  one  full  year  to  the  chronology  of  the 
period.  Amon  was  a  wicked  King,  and  under  him  Judah 
again  relapsed  into  idolatry.  Josiah  began  to  reign  B.  C. 
642,  when  but  eight  years  old.  During  the  early  part  of 
his  reign  the  most  abominable  idolatry  was  practised  in 
Judah  and  Jerusalem,  2  Kings  22:17;  2  Chron.  33:11;  Jer.  16. 
Violence  and  crime  pervaded  society.  The  worshippers  of 
Jehovah  were  few  in  number,  and  their  influence  for  good 
was  almost  entirely  lost  in  the  midst  of  abounding  sin.  Josiah, 
in  the  eighth  year  of  his  reign,  began  to  seek  the  favor  of 


PROPHECY    OF    HABAKKUK.  1 7 

the  Lord.  In  the  twelfth  year,  B.  C.  630,  a  partial  reforma- 
tion was  effected  by  him.  He  purified  the  temple  in  Jerusalem, 
and  destroyed  the  altars,  images  and  groves  connected  with 
idol  worship  throughout  the  land  of  Israel.  A  second  and 
more  thorough  reformation  occurred  in  the  eighteenth  year 
of  Josiah's  reign,  B.  C.  624,  in  which  he  endeavored  to  re- 
move from  the  land  all  traces  of  idolatry,  and  established  in 
its  stead  the  worship  of  Jehovah.  No  intimation  of  the  in- 
terference of  iVssyria  in  the  affairs  of  Judali  occurs  in  the 
historical  books  of  the  Old  Testament,  during  the  days  of 
Anion  or  Josiah,  and  this  is  due  probably  to  the  fact  that 
Assyria  was  waning  in  power  and  rapidly  approaching  dis- 
solution. Babylon  and  Media,  on  the  other  hand,  were  grow- 
ing in  strength  and  influence,  and  in  the  year  B.  C.  625 
united  their  forces,  threw  off  the  Assyrian  yoke,  and  des- 
troyed Nineveh.  The  Assyrian  territory  was  then  divided 
between  Cyaxares,  king  of  INfedia,  and  Nabopolasar,  who 
became  king  of  Babylon.  The  seat  of  the  southern  empire 
was  Babylon,  and  that  city  became  the  mistress  of  Central 
Asia.  The  causes  of  enmity  between  Egypt  and  Chaldea 
led  to  the  invasion  ot  the  latter  by  Psammetichus,  king  of 
Egypt.  In  order  to  accomplish  his  purpose,  he  engaged  in 
a  war  with  the  Philistines,  through  whose  territory  he  must 
pass  in  order  to  reach  Chaldea.  While  he  was  engaged  in 
the  siege  and  capture  ol  the  Philistine  Ashdod,  the  Scyths 
also  invaded  Palestine,  and  were  marching  through  Philistia 
towards  Egypt.  These  Scyths  had  invaded  Media  w^hile 
Cyaxares,  the  Median  king,  was  leading  an  expedition 
against  Assyria  B.  C.  632.  (Rawlinson's  Ancient  Mon- 
archies Vol  II,  pp.  226-227.)  They  plundered  Media  and  As- 
syria, captured  cities,  burnt  the  towns,  and  spread  into  Syria 
and  Palestine.  The  king  of  Egypt  was  then  besieging 
Ashdod,  and  sent  ambassadors  to  Ascalon  to  meet  the  Scyths. 
The  result  of  the  negotiation  was  that  the  Scyths  were  in- 
duced to  abandon  their  enterprise,  and  Psammetichus  was 
left   at  liberty  to  pursue  his  expedition   to    Assyria.     The 


v/ 


l8  A    COMMENTARY   ON    THE 

Scyths  were  soon  expelled  from  Central  iVsia,  and  driven  be- 
yond the  Caucasus.  The  whole  period  of  their  southern 
progress  is  limited  by  Herodotus  to  twenty-eight  years.  The 
invasion  of  Chaldea  was  prosecuted  by  Pharaoh  Necho.  His 
passage  through  Palestine  was  resisted  by  Josiah,  who  was 
slain  in  battle  at  Megiddo,  B.  C.  6ii.  Jehoahaz  succeeded 
Josiah,  having  been  made  king  by  the  people  of  the  land, 
and  reigned  three  months.  He  was  then  deposed  by  the  king 
of  Egypt,  who  placed  Jehoiakim  upon  the  throne,  and  im- 
posed a  heavy  tribute  on  the  kingdom  of  Judah.  The 
Egyptians  pressed  forward  and  took  Carchemish  on  the 
Euphrates,  B.  C.  6ii.  Carchemish  was  the  capital  of  the 
king  of  Asshur,  H  Kings  23:  29,  and  was  probably  the 
stronghold  occupied  by  the  remnant  of  the  Assyrian  Empire 
which  had  been  dissolved  when  Ninevah  was  utterly  de- 
stroyed. The  Egyptians  retained  the  place,  however,  but  a 
short  time.  The  Chaldeans  under  Nebuchadnezzar  took 
the  city,  B.  C.  608  or  607  and  pursued  the  Egyptians  west- 
ward with  a  design  of  invading  Egypt  in  turn.  They  cap- 
tured Jerusalem  B.  C.  608  or  607.  Jehoiakim  reigned  un- 
der the  authority  of  the  Chaldeans  eight  years  longer,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  son  Jehoiachin,  who  reigned  3  months 
and  10  days,  when  he  was  deposed  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  and 
taken  to  Babylon.  Zedekiah  was  then  placed  on  the  throne. 
His  rebellion  against  the  Chaldeans  occasioned  the  third  in- 
vasion of  the  land  by  the  King  of  Babylon,  who  again  cap- 
tured Jerusalem,  B.  C.  588,  and  carried  away  a  large  portion 
of  the  people  into  captivity.  The  captivity  of  Judah  con- 
tinued 70  years,  according  to  II  Chron.  36:  24.  The  Jews 
returned  from  Babylon  in  the  first  year  of  Cyrus,  B.  C.  538. 
The  first  year  of  the  captivity  therefore  corresponds  with  the 
date  given  above  to  the  invasion  of  the  Chaldeans  under 
Nebuchadnezzar,  608  B.  C.  The  prophecy  announcing  the 
captivity  of  Judah  was  therefore  fulfilled  in  the  period  em- 
braced between  B.  C.  608  and  588.  In  this  period  there  were 
three  deportations,  B.  C.  608,  B.  C.  599,  B.  C.  588. 


PROPHECY    OF    HABAKKUK.  1 9 

2.  The  prophecy  is  said  to  have  been  uttered  during  the 
reign  of  Manasseh,  by  the  following  authors  :  Kimchi  and 
Abarbanel  among  the  Rabbins,  Witsius,  Kalinski,  Corne- 
lius a  I^apide,  Wahl,  Ko,  Jahn,  Haevernich,  and  Keil.  Syn- 
cellus  makes  him  contemporary  with  Ezekiel  and  extends 
his  prophecy  probably  from  the  time  of  Manasseh  to  that 
of  Daniel  and  Joshua  the  son  of  Josedech.  Chronicon  Alex- 
andrinum  or  Paschale,  7th  century,  represents  him  as  co- 
temporary  with  Zephaniah  in  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of 
Josiah,  with  Daniel  and  Ezekiel  in  Persia,  with  Haggai  and 
Zecbariah  in  Judea,  and  with  Baruch  in  Egypt  Lowth, 
Davidson,  and  Delitzsch  place  him  in  the  early  part  of  the 
reign  of  Josiah.  Calmet,  Jaeger,  Ewald,  D^  Wette,  New- 
come,  606-598  B.  C.  Green  thinks  the  prophecy  was  not 
uttered  in  the  days  of  Josiah.  Eichhorn,  Home,  Winer, 
Theiner  &  Black  place  the  date  of  the  prophecy  during  the 
first  invasion  of  Chaldea  in  the  reign  of  Jehoiakim.  Rosen - 
mueller  places  chapter  i  under  Jehoiakim,  chapter  2  under 
Jehoiachin,  and  chapter  3  under  Zedekiah.  Knobel  and 
Maurer  date  the  first  chapter  605  B.  C,  the  second  and'  third 
in  .the  beginning  of  the  following  year.  Hitzig  and  Schafi*, 
604  B.  C.  Usher,  Henderson,  Meyer,  Cowles,  Phillipson, 
Sawyer,  Schegg,  609-606  B.  C.  Fausset,  610  B.  C.  All 
these  agree  in  fixing  the  reign  of  Jehoiakim  as  the  period 
of  the  prophecy.  Umbreit,  Knobel,  and  Meyer,  after  the 
battle  of  Carchemish,  B.  C.  606.  Hesselberg  about  600  B.  C. 
The  following  commentators  fixed  the  date  of  the  prophecy 
during  the  Babylonish  captivity,  and  after  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem:  Jerome,  Remigius,  Albertus,  Hugo,  Lyrantius 
as  stated  by  Cornelius  a  Eapide,  I.  507. 

3.  The  conclusion  which  a  critic  reaches  respecting  the 
date  of  this  book  will  depend  very  much  on  his  views  of  in- 
spiration. If  the  prophetic  office  and  gift  of  Habakkuk  be 
denied,  the  one  or  other  of  the  following  theories  must  be 
adopted  respecting  the  date  of  the  prophecy.  Either  the 
hooli  is  a.  z^altcmzum  post  ez>eniumy   i.  e.,  a  prophecy  really 


/ 


V-'' 


20  A    COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

written  after  the  event  which  it  pretends  to  foretell;  or 
it  was  uttered  prior  to  the  event  indeed,  but  only  so  long 
^  before  it,  that  it  might  be  foreseen  by  ordinary  human  sa- 
gacity. Both  these  theories  have  had  their  adherents,  as 
may  be  seen  by  the  list  given  above,  but  both  must  be  dis- 
carded by  a  believer  in  the  inspiration  of  the  prophets.  No  true 
prophet  would  represent  himself  as  living  at  any  other  time 
than  that  in  which  he  really  acted.  The  book  of  Habakkuk 
has  always  had  a  place  in  the  canon  of  Scripture  and  has  ap- 
peared in  the  translations  of  the  Hebrew  Scriptures  into 
other  languages.  The  Septuagint  version,  which  was  made 
in  Egypt  during  the  third  century,  B.  C,  contains,  in  addi- 
tion to  it,  some  apochryphal  stories  which  did  not  belong  to 
it  in  the  Hebrew  language.  We  do  not  know  certainly 
when  the  canon  of  the  Old  Testament  was  formed.  Jewish 
tradition,  which  is  an  important  witness  in  all  matters  of 
fact,  ascribes  it  to  Ezra,  Nehemiah,  or  the  men  ot  the  Great 
Synagogue.  It  is,  however,  a  question  of  comparatively 
slight  importance  whether  this  statement  be  true  or  not, 
since  we  know  that  this  work  was  actually  done  as  early  as 
131  B.  C.  We  find  the  Son  of  Sirach  in  his  prologue  to  the 
book  of  Ecclesiasticus  speaking  of  the  three-lold  division  of 
the  Hebrew  Scriptures  into  the  Law,  the  Prophets,  and  the 
Other  Scriptures.  The  canonical  books  were  so  carefully 
guarded  that  it  would  have  been  impossible  either  to  add 
to,  or  subtract  from  their  number.  This  complete  Old  Tes- 
tament was  in  the  hands  of  Christ,  was  quoted  in  His  ad- 
dresses, and  publicly  read  by  Him  in  all  the  synagogues. 
He  even  recognizes  the  same  general  division  of  the  books 
as  had  been  previously  mentioned  by  the  Son  of  Sirach, 
L/uke  24:  44.  The  Apostles  recognized  the  same  canon,  and 
two  of  them  quote  and  comment  upon  a  passage  from  the  book 
of  Habakkuk.  This  entire  collection  of  sacred  books  was  recog- 
nized by  Christ  and  His  apostles  as  the  inspired  Word  of  God, 
and  we  need  nothing  more  to  prove  them  so,  for  Christ  was 
the  Son  of  God,  and  the  Apostles  were  taught  by  the  Holy 


PROPHECY    OF    HABAKKUK.  21 

Spirit.  The  sonship  and  consequently  the  divinity  of 
Christ  may  be  proved  from  the  declarations  of  God  the 
Father  at  His  baptism  and  on  the  mount  of  Transfiguration. 
The  truth  He  taught  was  such  as  became  the  Son  of  God, 
and  its  effects  prove  its  divine  origin.  He  uttered  prophe- 
cies which  have  come  to  pass,  and  wrought  great  miracles, 
among  which  His  own  resurrection  holds  a  prominent  place 
as  the  special  evidence  of  His  sonship.  He  finally  ascended 
to  heaven  after  having  promised  the  Holy  Ghost  to  His 
disciples.  The  Apostles  were  inspired  men,  and  proved 
their  possession  of  the  Holy  Spirit  by  the  nature  and  effects 
of  their  doctrines,  by  their  miracles  and  their  prophecies. 
Since  Christ  and  His  Apostles  declared  the  Old  Testament 
to  be  the  Word  ot  God,  we  have  no  right  to  deal  with  it  in 
any  other  way  than  as  an  inspired  book.  Habakkuk  must 
therefore  be  acknowledged  as  a  true  prophet  of  God.  Those 
theories  which  represent  him  as  composing  the  book  during 
the  Babylonish  captivity,  and  yet  representing  himself  as 
writing  before  the  Chaldean  invasion,  or  describe  him  as  writ- 
ing at  a  time  when  the  invasion  would  be  foreseen  by  mere 
human  sagacity,  are  entirely  inconsistent  with  the  nature  of 
inspiration  and  the  office  of  a  spokesman  of  God.  This 
theory  is  also  inconsistent  with  itself.  The  prophecy  of 
Habakkuk  predicts  two  remarkable  facts,  the  Chaldean  in- 
vasion, and  the  fall  of  Babylon.  Rationalistic  interpreters, 
while  they  admit  of  no  other  inspiration  than  that  of  human 
sagacity,  assign  to  Habakkuk  a  date  prior  to  the  Chaldean 
invasion,  and  thus  ignore  the  fact  that  he  uttered  a  clear 
and  distinct  announcement  ot  the  destruction  of  Babylon,  \ 
which  occurred  B.  C.  538.  No  human  sagacity  could  have 
foreseen  this  event  as  early  as  B.  C.  608.  The  Chaldeans 
had  then  overthrown  Nineveh,  and  had  conquered  Egypt, 
their  competitor  for  universal  empire.  All  the  signs  of  the 
times  indicated  the  establishment  of  an  empire  that  should 
last,  like  the  Assyrian,  for  hundreds  of  years.  Mere  con- 
sistency with  their  own  theory  of  inspiration   should  lead 


22  A    COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

these  critics  to  place  Habakkuk  just  before  the  fall  of  Baby- 
lon. Delitzsch  suggests  that  the  most  appropriate  point  for 
them  to  settle  upon  would  be  the  day  when  Cyrus  was  about 
to  divert  the  waters  of  the  river  Gyndes  into  the  canals 
which  he  had  prepared  for  this  purpose,  and  thus  open  the 
way  for  his  troops  along  the  dry  bed  of  the  river  into  the 
city  of  Babylon.  A  mode  of  interpretation  which  is  not  self- 
consistent  cannot  be  correct.  We  turn  then  to  the  book  it- 
self and  attempt  to  gather  from  its  language  the  indications 
of  its  date. 

4.  The  first  of  these  is  that  furnished  by  the  reterences 
made  to  the  temple,  "The  Lord  is  in  His  holy  temple,"  and 
to  the  temple  services  in  the  musical  directions  at  the  bo 
ginning  and  end  of  the  psalm  in  chapter  3,  "a  prayer  of 
Habakkuk  the  prophet  upon  shigionoth,"  and  "to  the  chief 
musician  upon  my  stringed  instruments."  These  passages 
show  that  the  temple  was  still  standing  and  that  the  service 
of  song  was  performed  in  its  courts,  under  the  direction  of 
the  chief  musician.  The  temple  was  destroyed  by  order  of 
Nebuchadnezzar,  and  all  its  liturgical  worship  suspended  B. 
C.  588.  Hence  the  book  must  have  been  written  before 
that  date. 

5.  Another  indication  of  the  date  ot  the  prophecy  is  con- 
tained in  chapter  i:  5-6,  in  which  the  prophet  foretells  the 
raising  up  of  the  Chaldeans,  who  should  invade  the  land  of 
Judah.  The  prophecy  must  consequently  have  preceded  the 
execution  of  this  work  by  Jehovah.  Two  opinions  have 
prevailed  in  regard  to  the  exact  nature  of  this  work,  each 
based  upon  the  interpretation  of  the  words  in  chapter  i :  6. 
One  class  of  critics  translate  the  clause  "Behold  me,  rais- 
ing the  Chaldeans,  exciting  them,  stirring  them  up  to  in- 
vade Judah."  Thus  understood  the  prophecy  refers  to  the 
events  which  immediately  led  to  the  invasion  of  Judah,  such 
as  the  elevation  of  Jehoiakim  by  the  king  of  Egypt  to  the 
throne  of  Judah,  and  the  capture  of  Carchemish.  If  this 
view  be  correct,  then  the  words  of  the  prophet  show,  that 


PROPHECY    OF    HABAKKUK,  23 

he  must  have  spoken  before  the  invasiou,  B.  C.  608,  though 
it  mav  have  been  but  a  little  while  before.  Another  class 
of  critics  give  to  this  phrase,  the*  sense  of  raising  up,  i.  e., 
ot  preparing  the  Chaldeans  to  be  the  instruments  of  Jeho- 
vah for  the  chastisement  of  Judah.  This  would  include 
suefTevents  in  the  history  of  the  neighboring  nations  as  the 
rise  of  the  Chaldeans  to  a  prominent  position  in  the  Assy- 
rian empire,  2  Chron.  'i^y,  it,  the  consolidation  of  Media, 
which  had  been  previously  conquered  by  Assyria  and  was 
therefore  inimical  to  it,  (Rawlinson  II.  384,)  the  invasion  of 
Assyria  by  Cyaxares  the  Mede,  the  expedition  of  Nabopo- 
lasar  against  Babylon,  his  union  with  Cyaxares  against  As- 
syria, the  fall  ot  Nineveh,  the  overthrow  of  Assyria,  the  el- 
evation of  the  Chaldeans  to  supreme  power,  the  invasion  of 
the  territory  by  the  Egyptians,  and  the  reduction  of  Judah 
into  a  fief  of  Egypt  By  this  series  of  events  the  Chaldeans, 
who  had  been  under  the  sway  ot  the  Assyrians,  became  the 
ruling  power  in  Central  Asia,  and  were  led  to  assume  an  at- 
titude of  hostility  to  the  kingdom  of  Judah.  They  were 
thus  "raised  up"  to  execute  the  will  of  God  in  reference  to 
the  punishment  of  His  sinful  people.  From  this  view  of 
the  passage,  it  follows  that  Habakkuk  must  have  spoken 
some  years  before  the  fall  of  Nineveh  and  the  rise  of  the 
Chaldean  empire,  B.  C.  625,  and  most  probably  during  the 
latter  part.jDt  Manasseh's  reign. 

6.  The  incredulity  of  the  Jews  was  a  marked  feature  of 
the  tim'e  when  Habakkuk  prophesied  "Ye  will  not  believe, 
though  a  man  declare  it  unto  you"  (i:  5.)  This  disposition 
characterized  the  minds  of  men  during  the  latter  part  of 
Manasseh's  reign  more  decidedly  than  at  any  other  period 
in  the  life  of  that  generation  to  which  Jehovah  refers.  Ma- 
nasseh  had  been  a  captive  in  Babylon,  where  the  Assyrian 
king  probably  held  his  court  occasionally,  and  perhaps  dur- 
ing part  of  each  year.  After  Manasseh's  conversion,  he  was 
restored  to  his  kingdom,  while  he  acknowledged  the 
supremacy  of  the  great  king  of  Assyria.     An  announcement 


24  A    COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

of  the  invasion  of  his  kingdom  by  the  Chaldeans,  who  also 
recognized  the  supremacy  of  Assyria,  would  have  been  ut- 
terly  incredible.     The  short  reign  of  Amon  did  not  differ 
from  that  of  his  father,  so  far  as  his  relation  to  Assyria  was 
concerned.     The  reign  of  Josiah  was  divided  into  two  nearly 
equal  portions  by  the  fall  of  Nineveh,  B.   C.  625.     During 
the  first  halt,  a  Chaldean  invasion  was  less  incredible  than  in 
the    days    of  Manasseh    and    Amon,  because  Assyria  was 
decreasing  in  strength,    while   Babylon  was   increasing  in 
power.     This  period  is  marked  by  the  war  between  Cyax- 
ares  and  Assyria,  and  by  the  invasion  of  the  Scyths,  both  of 
which  contributed  to  weaken  Assyria.     As  long,  however, 
as  Assyria  remained  supreme,  a  Chaldean  invasion  would  be 
impracticable.     Alter  the  fall  of  Nineveh  and  the  transfer 
of  the  supremacy  to  the  Chaldeans,  an  invasion  of  Judah  by 
them  was  far  more  probable,  for  it  might  be  expected  that 
the  Chaldeans  would  endeavor  to  maintain  the  unity  of  the 
empire,  and  retain  under  their  sway  all  who  had  previously 
acknowledged    Assyrian    rule.     The    expedition    of  Josiah 
against  Pharaoh  Necho,  which  led  to  the  defeat  and  death 
of  the  former  at  Megiddo,  seems  to  have  been  prompted  by 
the  desire  to  prevent  a  collision  between  Egypt  and  Chaldea, 
in  which  Judah  must  fall  a  prey  to  the  victor.     The  fall  of 
Assyria  had  freed  Josiah  from  any  further  allegiance  to  it, 
if  any  had  been  demanded.     The  Chaldeans  as  yet  had  no 
claim  on  him  or  on  his  kingdom,  and  hence  we  cannot  sup- 
pose Josiah's  expedition  against  Pharaoh  Necho  to  have  been 
dictated  by  fealty  to  them.  The  language  of  Necho  (2  Chron. 
35:  21)  shows  that  he  did  not  consider  Josiah  as  confederate 
with  the  house  of  Chaldea,  with  whom  Egypt  was  at  war. 
Josiah  was  rather  moved  by  a  dread  of  the  Chaldean  inva- 
sion, which  would  be  the  sure  consequence  of  Necho's  ad- 
vance to  Carchemish.     He  did  not   fear  Egypt,  but  wished 
to  protect  his  land  from  a  power  greater  than  Assyria,  and 
which  would  be  provoked  to  march  through  Palestine  upon 
Egypt.     After  the  defeat  of  Josiah,  Judah  became  tributary 


PROPHECY    OF    HABAKKUK.  25 

to  Egypt,  and  Jehoiakim  was  placed  upon  the  throne  by 
Necho.  From  that  time  onward  the  invasion  of  Palestine 
was  almost  a  certainty.  Judah  could  not  be  permitted  to 
remain  a  fief  ot  Egypt,  because  the  possession  of  Judah 
would  make  it  an  easy  matter  at  any  time  for  Egypt  to  in- 
vade Chaldean  territory.  The  incredulity  ot  the  people  dur- 
ing the  latter  part  of  Manasseh's  reign  would  certainly  be 
most  pronounced,  and  better  correspond  wdth  the  descrip- 
tion of  i:  5,  than  any  time  between  his  reign  and  the  fall  of 
Jerusalem. 

7.  Another  important  indication  of  the  date  of  the 
prophecy  is  contained  in  the  expression  "in  your  days"  (1-5,) 
in  w^hich  Jehovah  defines  the  period  within  which  He  will 
perform  His  divine  work  of  "raising  up"  the  Chaldeans  and 
punishing  the  Jews.  This  phrase  may  designate  any  period 
within  the  life  of  a  generation.  In  Ezekiel  12:  25,  this  in- 
cludes six  years,  and  in  Jer.  16:  9,  tw^enty  years.  The  gen- 
eration which  Moses  brought  out  of  Egypt  perished  in  the 
wilderness  during  the  next  40  years.  In  Mark  13:  30,  the 
expression  "this  generation  shall  not  pass  away,"  is  used  to 
designate  a  period  of  about  forty  years,  which  elapsed  be- 
tween the  utterance  of  the  prophecy  and  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem.  ]\Iany  of  those  who  returned  with  Ezra  trom 
Babylon  to  Jerusalem  had  seen  the  first  temple,  which  had 
been  destroyed  52  years  before,  Ezra  3:12,  If  Habakkuk 
spoke  to  men  of  twenty  years  old  and  upward,  many  of 
whom  might  live  to  be  90  years  old,  then  his  prophecy 
might  be  dated  50  years  before  the  Chaldean  invasion  or 
B.  C.  658.  If  there  were  among'his  hearers,  boys  of  twelve 
years  of  age,  the  time  at  which,  according  to  Jewish  ideas 
they  become  personally  responsible  for  their  deeds,  we  might 
suppose  it  very  possible  for  them  to  live  to  see  the  invasion. 
Consequently  the  date  of  the  prophecy  might  be  B.  C.  658. 
This  is  the  farthest  limit  which  should  be  assigned  to  the 
expression  "in  your  days,"  and  its  exact  force  must  be  de- 
termined   by  comparing  this  expression  with  the    others 


26  A    COMMENTARY   ON    THE 

previously  considered.  We  infer  from  the  testimony  of  the 
book  itself  that  its  author  prophesied  between  B.  C.  608 
and  648,  and  probably  in  the  days  of  Manasseh. 

8.  Another  indication  of  the  date  of  the  prophecy  is 
furnished  by  the  description  of  the  moral  condition  of  the 
people  in  1:2-4.  Iniquity  prevailed  and  consequently  trouble 
abounded.  Power  was  exerted  injustly  and  oppressively. 
Strife  and  contention  were  prominent  characteristics  of 
society.  The  law  had  lost  its  influence  both  upon  the  lives 
of  men  and  the  administration  of  justice.  The  wicked 
outnumbered  the  righteous  and  nullified  their  influence. 
Therefore  wrong  judgment  proceeded.  This  description 
is  remarkable  for  one  striking  omission.  It  makes  no 
special  mention  of  idolatry  as  one  ot  the  crying  sins  of  the 
people.  This  suggests  the  inference  that  Habakkuk  proph- 
esied at  a  time  when  the  worship  of  idols  was  abolished,  or 
at  least  Jehovah  was  publicly  recognized  as  the  God  of 
Judah.  This  occurred  twice  in  the  history  of  the  genera- 
tion to  whom  Habakkuk  refers,  first  in  the  reformation 
after  the  return  of  Manasseh  to  Judah,  and  secondly,  in  the 
reformation  which  began  in  the  eighth  year  of  Josiah  and  was 
resumed  in  his  twelfth  year.  Delitzsch  adopts  the  beginning 
of  Josiah's  reformation  as  the  date  of  the  prophecy,  but  the 
considerations  we  have  already  presented  point  rather  to  the 
reformation  of  Manasseh  as  the  true  date. 

9.  Attention  has  been  called  by  Delitzsch  and  others  to 
Habakkuk's  style  as  a  means  of  determining  the  date  of  the 
prophecy.  There  is  such  a  difference  in  this  respect  be- 
tween the  older  and  later  prophets  that  they  have  been 
divided  by  many  critics  into  the  school  of  Isaiah  and  that 
of  Jeremiah.  The  former  embraces  the  older  prophets 
whose  productions  are  marked  by  originality  of  express- 
ions and  purity  of  language,  variety  of  quotations,  and  in- 
frequency  of  historical  narrative.  To  this  class  of  writers 
Habakkuk  certainly  belongs.  His  style  resembles  his 
predecessors   rather   than  his   successors.     His   diction   is 


PROPHECY   OF   HABAKKUK.  2/ 

rather  that  of  Isaiah  than  Jeremiah,  while  at  the  same  time 
he  employs  some  words  and  phrases  hitherto  unrecorded. 
He  quotes  but  little  from  older  writers.  He  introduces  no 
historical  statements,  but  from  beginning-  to  end  pursues 
his  line  of  thought,  until  it  terminates  in  his  psalm  of  praise' 
in  chapter  3.  If  we  compare  the  prophets  Zephaniah  and 
Jeremiah  with  him,  we  shall  perceive  in  them  the  existence 
oi  a  more  modern  stvle.  Their  diction  lacks  much  of  the 
antique  character  of  Habakkuk's  prophecy.  They  abound  in 
quotations  from  older  workers,  and  Jeremiah  especially 
in  historical  matter.  The  inference  from  these  facts  is  very 
plain.  Habakkuk  must  have  lived  and  written  before  such 
influences  were  exerted  as  those  which  affected  the  style  of 
Zephaniah  and  Jeremiah.  Since  then,  Jeremiah  began  to 
prophesy  in  the  thirteenth  year  of  Josiah,  and  Zephaniah  in 
the  fifteenth  or  sixteenth  year  of  Josiah's  reign,  we  must  as- 
sign to  Habakkuk  an  earlier  date  than  to  either  of  these 
prophets.  If  then,  Habakkuk  prophesied  between  B.  C. 
625  and  662,  during  the  prevalence  of  the  worship  of  Jeho- 
vah, and  at  a  time  when  his  message  would  be  received 
with  the  greatest  unbelief,  we  may  infer  that  his  prophecy 
was  uttered  in  one  of  the  later  years  of  Manasseh's  reign. 

10.  The  internal  indications  of  the  date  of  the  prophecy 
are  substantiated  by  several  considerations  not  connected 
with  the  matter  or  style  itself  The  position  of  Habakkuk 
in  the  collection  of  the  Minor  Prophets  between  Nahum  and 
Zephaniah,  It  is  an  old  and  widely  received  theory  con- 
cerning the  arrangement  of  the  Minor  Prophets  that  they 
stand  in  almost  chronological  order.  Whatever  may  be  said 
against  this  theory,  it  is  certainly  true  that  the  books  of  this 
collection  whose  date  is  positively  fixed  do  stand  in  the  or- 
der of  time.  If  we  look  at  the  latter  half  ot  the  collection 
of  the  Minor  Prophets,  we  observe  that  without  doubt  five 
oi  its  books  are  so  arranged.  No  sufficient  reason  can  be 
assigned  for  placing  the  book  of  Habakkuk  out  of  its  proper 
order,  and  the  only  legitimate  inference  is  that  he  prophe- 


28  A    COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

sied  after  Nahum  and  before  Zephaniah.  Zephaniah  pre- 
ceded the  fall  of  Nineveh,  which  occurred  B.  C.  625,  and 
hence  no  later  date  than  this  can  be  assigned  to  hiin,  while 
he  probably  prophesied  a  year  or  two  before  that  date. 
Habakkuk  must  be  placed  beiore  625  B.  C. 

II.  Delitzsch,  in  the  introduction  to  his  commentary  on 
this  book,  presents  a  very  ingenious  argument  to  prove 
Habakkuk's  priority  to  Zephaniah  and  Jeremiah,  by  show- 
ing that  both  these  prophets  have  quoted  from  him.  The 
passage  in  Habakkuk  which  is  quoted  by  Zephaniah,  is 
found  in  Hab.  2:  20,  "lyct  all  the  earth  keep  silence  before 
Him,"  which  reappears  in  Zeph.  1:7,  in  the  clause  "Hold 
thy  peace  at  the  presence  of  the  Lord."  This  expression  is 
probably  borrowed  b}^  one  of  these  writers  from  the  other,  be- 
cause no  preceding  writer  makes  any  use  ol  it  all,  and  in  both 
passages  it  is  connected  with  a  description  of  Jehovah.  It  ap- 
pears that  Zephaniah  borrows  from  Habakkuk,  because 
first,  Habakkuk  is  remarkably  original  in  his  language,  and 
very  seldom  borrows  from  older  writers.  Secondly,  Zeph- 
aniah borrows  so  frequently  that  his  book  is  almost  a  mosaic 
of  quotations.  Sometimes  two  are  united  in  a  single  verse, 
the  latter  part  of  1:9  is  taken  from  Joel  2,  and  hence  the 
first  clause  is  most  probably  quoted.  Thirdly,  Habakkuk's 
use  of  this  expression  seems  more  natural  and  easy,  while 
in  Zephaniah  the  connection  is  more  obscure,  and  the  ex- 
pression somewhat  abbreviated,  in  accordance  with  his 
characteristic  conciseness.  The  very  mode  of  using  the 
clause  shows  it  to  be  the  thought  of  another.  Fourthly, 
the  passage  in  Habakkuk  is  also  quoted  by  Zechariah,  and 
with  greater  accuracy  than  by  Zephaniah.  He  would 
most  likely  quote  from  the  original  author,  and  hence  we 
infer  that  both  he  and  Zephaniah  quote  from  Habakkuk. 
We  reach  in  this  way  the  same  conclusion  as  in  the  pre- 
ceding paragraph,  that  Habakkuk  must  have  prophesied  be- 
fore B.  C.  625.  Delitzsch  also  argues  that  Jeremiah  quoted 
from  Habakkuk,  and  compares  Hab.  2:12,  with  Jer.    22:13, 


PROPHECY    OF    HABAKKUK.  29 

and  Hab.  2:13,  with  Jer.  51:58,  and  Hab.  1:8  withjer.  4:13; 
5:  6.  ]\Iany  other  passages  of  Jeremiah  have  been  collected 
by  Delitzsch,  which  resemble  closely  the  language  of 
Habakkuk.  Haevrnich  compares  the  following  passages  of 
Habakkuk  and  Jeremiah  to  sustain  the  same  conclusion:  Jer. 
4:  13  with  Hab.  i:  8;  Jer.  5:  6-15  with  Hab.  1:8;  i:  6;  Jer. 
6:  23  with  Hab.  1:7;  Hab.  2:13  with  Jer.  i:  37.  Jeremiah 
commenced  to  prophecy  in  the  thirteenth  year  ol  Josiah  and  the 
prophecy  of  Habakkuk  must  have  been  uttered  prior  to  B. 
C  628. 

12.  Another  reason  for  supposing  that  Habakkuk  proph- 
esied in  the  reign  of  jNIanasseh,  is  derived  from  the  name 
of  Josiah's  elder  son  Eliakim,  which  signifies  "God  shall 
raise  up."  This  name  was  afterwards  changed  by  the  king 
of  Hgy'pt  to  Jehoiakim,  which  signifies  "Jehovah  (i.  e.,  the 
covenant  God  of  Israel,)  shall  raise  up."  Among  the  Israe- 
lites, names  given  to  children  were  usuallv  suggested  by 
some  circumstances  connected  with  the  birth,  or  with  the 
feelings  of  those  who  were  present  and  in  any  way  inter- 
ested in  it.  Compound  names  like  Eliakim  gen- 
erally had  a  spiritual  bearing,  and  embodied  some  great 
religious  truth,  or  a  reference  to  some  act  of  Jehovah,  past, 
present  or  future.  The  names  Eliakim  and  Jehoiakim  are 
pertinent  examples  of  the  latter  class.  They  express  the  belief 
of  the  giver,  that  God  would  "raise  up"  some  one,  and  im- 
ply also  the  existence  of  a  previous  prophecy  relating  to  this 
subject.  The  name  Eliakim  expresses  the  principal  thought 
of  the  prophecy  of  Habakkuk,  which  is  contained  in  i :  6, 
"Behold  me,  raising  up  the  Chaldeans."  Josiah  was  early 
converted  to  God,  and  nothing  would  be  more  natural  than 
that  such  threatenings  announced  by  Habakkuk  should 
make  a  powerful  impression  upon  his  mind  and  lead  him  to  call 
his  son  Eliakim.  This  son  was  born  B.  C.  636.  When 
Eliakim  was  eleven  years  old,  God  "raised  up"  the  Chaldeans 
to  supreme  power.  When  twenty  five  years  old,  he  was  placed 
on  the  throne  of  Judah,  which  was  then  tributary  to  Egypt, 


30  A   COMMENTARY  ON   THE 

and  in  the  third  year  of  his  reign,  his  land  was  invaded  by 
Nebuchadnezzar,  by  whom  he  was  taken  captive.  His  ex- 
perience agrees  most  accurately  with  his  name,  and  both 
suggest  at  once  the  prophecy  of  Habakkuk  as  the  source 
of  his  name.  A  similar  remark  may  be  made  respecting 
the  name  of  his  successor  Zedekiah,  in  whose  reign  the 
captivity  was  completed  "and  the  temple  destroyed,  and 
whose  name  signifies  "the  justice  ot  Jehovah."  The 
providence  of  God  seems  so  to  have  interfered  in  the  case 
of  both  these  kings,  that  their  very  names  were  prophetic 
of  His  dealings  with  them  and  their  nation. 

13.  The  last  argument  we  shall  present  is  derived  from 
the  close  correspondence  between  the  contents  of  the  proph- 
ecy and  the  condition  of  things  in  the  reign  of  Manasseh. 
Any  one  who  will  consult  the  following  passages,  2  Kings 
21:9;  23:  26;  24:  3;  2  Chron.  ^y.  9;  and  Jer.  15:  4,  will  find 
that  the  sins  of  Judah  had  increased  during  the  reign  of 
Manasseh  to  a  degree  which  God  could  no  longer  endure 
without  inflicting  punishment;  that  God  sent  His  prophets 
to  declare  this  fact;  and  that  the  mode  of  punishment  would 
be  to  give  them  over  to  the  horrors  of  captivity.  No  time 
could  be  better  suited  for  the  clear,  sharp,  stern  announce- 
ment of  the  coming  Chaldean  invasion  which  Habakkuk 
makes,  than  the  later  days  of  Manasseh.  Since  Manasseh's 
captivity  and  return  to  his  throne,  and  the  reinstatement  of 
the  worship  of  Jehovah,  had  little  or  no  effect  on  the  mass 
of  the  people,  Vv^e  may  with  entire  propriety  assign  to 
Habakkuk  the  fifty-first  year  of  the  reign  of  Manasseh  as  the 
date  of  his  prophecy.  If  we  count  the  duration  of  King 
Amon's  reign  as  but  two  years,  we  shall  have  40  years  as 
the  period  between  the  utterance  of  the  prophecy  and  its 
fulfilment  in  the  Chaldean  invasion.  This  number  forty  is 
of  frequent  occurrence  in  sacred  history,  and  we  desire  to 
call  attention  to  three  of  these  instances  in  the  history  of 
this  same  people.  The  prophet  Jeremiah  began  his  pro- 
phetic work,  which  was  most  intimately  connected  with  the 


PROPHECY   OF    HABAKKUK.  3 I 

captivity  of  the  Jews  and  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  in  the 
thirteenth  year  of  Josiah,  B.  C.  628  or  629,  exactly  40  years 
before  the  destruction  of  the  temple  and  city  in  B.  C.  588. 
So  also  Moses,  in  the  earlier  history  of  the  nation,  predicted 
the  destruction  of  the  generation  which  came  out  of  Egypt 
within  40  years.  Our  Lord  Jesus  predicted  the  overthrow 
of  Jerusalem  just  about  fort}^  years  before  it  fell.  The  anal- 
ogy between  these  three  cases  shows  that  it  belonged  to 
Jehovah's  plan  to  give  the  same  warning  each  time.  If 
Christ  gave  Jerusalem  forty  years  between  the  announce- 
ment of  her  destruction  and  its  actual  occurrence,  then  we 
may  reasonably  suppose  that  He  did  the  same  thing  by  the 
mouth  of  His  prophet,  before  the  invasion  of  the  Chaldeans. 
We  place  Habakkuk  then  in  the  fifty-first  year  of  Manasseh's 
reign,  B.  C.  648,  forty  years  before  the  Chaldeans  invasion. 

IV.  THE  UNITY  OF  THE  BOOK. 

The  unity  of  the  book  of  Habakkuk  is  one  of  its  principal 
features.  It  assumes  the  form  of  a  dialogue,  in  which,  in  the 
first  chapter,  the  prophet  declares  the  wickedness  of  his 
people,  God  announces  His  chastisement  in  course  of  prep- 
aration, and  the  prophet  expresses  his  astonishment  that 
that  God  should  thus  treat  the  contending  parties.  Chapter 
2:1,  the  prophet  declares  his  intention  to  stand  on  the 
watch  and  receive  the  communications  of  Jehovah.  Verses 
2-6,  the  prophet  declares  his  intentions  by  writing  a  vis- 
ion. The  punishment  of  the  proud  and  insatiable 
Chaldean  will  surely  come,  and  all  nations  are  represented 
as  joining  in  the  song  of  triumph.  Verses  6-20,  in  five 
strophes,  contain  the  song  of  triumph  executed  by  the 
nations.  Chapter  3  gives  first,  the  title;  then  in  the 
second  verse,  the  prophet  in  penitent  faith  offers  his  prayer 
for  the  advancement  of  God's  cause;  and  then  in  verses  3-16 
he  praises  God  for  the  exercise  of  His  sovereignty  for  the 
benefit  of  His  people;  and  in  verses  17-19  he  expresses  his 


32  A    COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

submission  to  God  and  confident  hope  of  good.  This 
unity  of  the  book  is  illustrated  by  the  tollowing  translation 
of  the  prophecy: 

The  Title  i:  i.  The  utterance  which  Habakkuk  the 
prophet  saw. 

Verses  2-4.  The  prophet  complains  to  Jehovah  of  His 
apparent  unconcern,  though  crime  prevails  in  Judah  : 

2.  How  long,  Jehovah,  have  I  cried,  and  thou  wilt  not 
hear !  (how  long)  shall  I  cry  out  unto  thee.  Violence,  and 
thou  wilt  not  save  ?  3.  Why  wilt  thou  show  me  iniquity, 
and  why  wilt  thou  behold  trouble  ?  Oppression  and  vio- 
lence are  before  me,  and  strife  has  existed,  and  contention 
will  raise  itself.  4.  Theretore  law  shall  be  torpid,  and 
judgment  will  not  go  forth  to  purity;  for  the  wicked  is  en- 
compassing the  righteous,  wherefore  judgment  shall  go 
forth  perverted. 

Verses  5-1 1.  Jehovah  describes  the  instrument  which 
He  has  prepared  for  the  punishment  of  Judah:  .  5.  Behold 
ye  among  the  peoples,  and  regard,  and  be  greatly  astonished! 
For  a  work  working  in  your  days,  ye  will  not  believe, 
though  it  be  told.  6.  For  behold  me,  raising  up  the  Chal- 
deins,  the  bitter  and  hasty  nation,  the  one  going  unto  the 
breadths  of  the  earth  to  possess  dwelling-places  (that  belong) 
not  to  it.  7.  Terrible  and  dreadful  (is  it),  from  itself  its 
judgment  and  its  dignity  shall  go  forth.  8.  And  swifter 
than  leopards  are  its  horses,  Bud  more  fierce  than  the  wolves 
ol  evening;  and  its  horsemen  sweep  proudly  on,  and  its  horse- 
men shall  come  from  afar;  they  shall  fly  like  an  eagle  has- 
tening to  eat.  9.  Its  all  shall  come  for  violence,  the  de- 
sire of  their  faces  is  forward,  and  it  shall  gather  the  captivity 
like  sand.  10.  And  this  (people)  shall  scoff  at  kings,  and 
princes  shall  be  a  derision  unto  it.  It  shall  deride  every 
fortress,  and  it  will  heap  up  earth  and  take  it.  11.  Then 
it  has  changed  spirit,  and  transgressed,  and  become  guilty. 
This  his  power  is  for  his  god. 

Verses  12-17.  In  this  paragraph  the  prophet  replies  express- 


PROPHECY    OF    HABAKKUK.  33 

ing  his  assurance  that  God  will  raise  up  the  Chaldeans  for  the 
chastisement,  and  not  for  the  destruction,  of  His  people:  12. 
Art  thou  not  from  eternity,  Jehovah  ?  My  God,  my  Holy 
One,  we  shall  not  die,  Jehovah  !  for  judgment  hast  thou  set 
him;  and  Rock  !  lor  chastisement  hast  thou  ordained,  him. 
13.  Thou  art  of  purer  eyes  than  to  look  upon  evil,  and  to 
behold  trouble  thou  wilt  not  be  able.  Wherefore  wilt  thou 
behold  spoilers  ?  Wilt  thou  keep  silence,  while  the  wicked 
swallows  up  him  that  is  more  righteous  than  he  ?  14.  And 
make  man  as  the  fishes  of  the  sea,  as  the  creeping  things 
over  which  there  is  no  ruler?  15.  Its  all  has  litted  up 
with  hook;  it  will  catch  him  with  its  net,  and  gather  him 
with  its  seine;  therefore  will  it  rejoice  and  exult  16,  Where- 
fore it  will  sacrifice  to  its  net,  and  burn  incense  to  its  seine, 
for  by  them  its  portion  is  fat,  and  its  food  is  fattened  meat. 
17.  Shall  it  therefore  empty  its  net,  and  continually  spare 
not  to  destroy  the  nations  ? 

Chapter  2.  The  author  declares  his  purpose  to  place 
himself  where  he  can  hear  the  voice  of  Jehovah  and  offer 
his  reply. 

1.  On  my  watch  let  me  stand,  and  let  me  station  myself 
upon  a  tower,  and  I  will  look  out  to  see  what  he  will  speak 
in  me,  and  what  I  shall  return  upon  my  complaint. 

2-6.  Jehovah  bids  the  prophet  prepare  a  public  tablet 
for  his  vision,  which  will  be  fulfilled  in  the  proper  time  and 
place.  The  Chaldean  is  proud  and  fierce.  Obedience  to  the 
law  of  the  Lord  will  alone  secure  righteousnes.  He  is  a 
drunkard,  proud  and  insatiable,  gathering  all  nations  to 
himself  The  spoiler  shall  be  spoiled  himself;  the  con- 
quered nations  shall  utter  a  song  against  him. 

2.  And  Jehovah  answered  me  and  said,  write  a  vision 
and  inscribe  it  upon  the  tablets,  so  that  he  may  run  (the 
one)  reading  in  it.  3.  For  the  vision  is  yet  for  the  appointed 
time,  and  it  shall  pant  for  the  end  and  not  lie.  Though  it 
delay,  wait  for  it.  For  it  shall  certainly  come  and  not  tarr}^ 
4.     Behold  !  Puffed  up,  not  right,  is  his  soul  in  him,  and  the 


34  A    COMMENTARY   ON    THE 

righteous  by  his  faith  shall  live.  5.  And  moreover,  be- 
cause the  wine  is  a  robber,  a  mighty  one,  is  arrogant,  and 
will  not  dwell  at  home,  who  has  widened  as  the  grave  his  soul, 
and  he  is  as  death,  and  will  not  be  satiated,  and  he  has  col- 
lected lall  nations  unto  him,  and  has  gathered  unto  him  all 
the  peoples,  6.  Shall  not  these  all  of  them  raise  a  song  con- 
cerning it  and  a  taunt,  sharp  sayings  to  it,  and  shall  say  ? 

6-20.  The  nations  conquered  and  spoiled  by  the  Chal- 
deans shall  at  length  witness  the  fall  of  their  conquerors, 
and  join  in  a  song  expressive  of  their  own  feelings.  It  con- 
sists of  five  strophes,  6-8,  9-1 1,  12-14,  15-17,  18-20. 

6.  Aha!  The  nation  multiplying  (that  which  belongs) 
not  to  it;  how  long?  and  loading  upon  it  a  mass  of  pledges. 
7.  Shall  not  they  that  bite  thee  suddenly  arise?  and  shall 
not  they  that  shake  thee  awake,  and  thou  be  for  spoils  to 
them?  8.  Because  thou  hast  spoiled  many  nations,  all 
the  remnant  of  peoples  shall  spoil  thee,  on  account  of  the 
blood-guilt  of  man,  and  the  violence  of  land,  city,  and  all 
dwelling  in  it. 

9.  Aha  1  The  one  plundering,  plunder  of  evil,  for 
his  house,  to  set  his  nest  on  high,  to  deliver  himself  from 
the  hand  of  evil.  10.  Thou  hast  devised  shame  to  thy 
house,  the  destroying  of  many  nations,  and  those  that  sin 
against  thy  soul.  11.  For  the  stone  from  the  wall  shall 
cry  out;  and  the  cross-beam  from  the  timber  shall  answer  it. 

12.  Aha  !  The  one  building  a  city  in  blood-guilt, 
and  a  town  in  crime.  13.  Behold  !  is  it  not  from  Jehovah  of 
Hosts,  and  nations  toil  just  for  the  fire,  and  peoples 
weary  themselves  just  for  vanity  ?  14.  For  the  earth  shall 
be  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  Jehovah,  as  the 
waters  shall  cover  the  sea. 

15.  Aha !  The  one  giving  his  neighbour  drink, 
pouring  out  thy  wrath,  and  even  to  intoxicate,  in  order  to 
behold  their  nakedness.  16.  Thou  art  satiated  with  shame 
from  glory.  Drink  also  thou  and  show  thyself  uncircum- 
cised.     The  cup  of  the  right  hand  of  Jehovah  shall  turn  it- 


PROPHECY    OF    HABAKKUK.  35 

self  unto  thee,  and  ignominy  shall  be  upon  thy  glory.  17. 
For  the  violence  of  Lebanon  shall  cover  thee,  and  spoiling 
of  beasts  shall  terrify  them;  on  account  of  the  blood-guilt  of 
man,  and  violence  of  land,  city  and  all  dwelling  in  it. 

18.  What  does  it  profit  a  graven  image  though  its 
maker  has  graven  it  ?  a  molten  image  and  teacher  of  false- 
hood, though  the  maker  ot  his  work  trusted  upon  it,  to 
make  dumb  idols  ?  19.  Aha  !  The  one  saying  to  the  wood, 
awake  !  Arise,  to  the  dumb  stone;  shall  it  teach  ?  Behold  ! 
this  is  overlaid  with  gold  and  silver,  and  there  is  no  spirit 
at  all  in  the  midst  of  it.  20.  And  Jehovah  is  in  the  tem- 
ple of  his  holiness.     Be  silent  before  him  all  the  earth. 

Chapter  3.  In  this  chapter  the  prophet  gives  us  first  its 
title.  In  verse  2,  he  prays  in  penitent  faith,  and  expresses 
his  desire  for  the  advancement  of  God's  work,  and  for  an 
exhibition  of  His  mercy.  In  verses  3-16,  he  renders  glory 
to  God  for  His  wonderful  and  complete  supremacy  over  all 
creation  exerted  for  the  good  of  His  people;  and  in  verses 
17-19,  he  announces  his  entire  submission  to  Jehovah's 
will  and  his  confident  expectation  of  good. 

The  title,  verse  i.  A  prayer  of  Habakkuk  the  prophet 
upon  shiggionoth. 

His  prayer,  verse  2.  Jehovah  !  I  have  heard  the 
communication  of  thee.  I  am  afraid.  Jehovah  !  vivify  thy 
work  in  the  midst  of  the  years;  thou  wdlt  make  it  known; 
in  wrath  thou  w^ilt  remember  to  be  merciful. 

3-16.  The  prophet  glorifies  the  supreme  Jehovah.  3. 
A  god  shall  come  from  Teman,  and  a  holy  one  from  Mount 
Paran.  Selah.  His  splendor  has  covered  the  heavens,  and  the 
earth  is  full  of  his  praise.  4.  And  there  shall  be  brightness  as 
the  light.  He  has  horns  from  his  hand,  and  there  is  the 
veiling  of  his  strength.  5.  Before  him  pestilence  shall 
move  on,  and  plague  shall  go  out  at  his  feet.  6.  He  stood 
and  measured  the  earth;  he  looked  and  scattered  nations; 
and  the  old  mountains  broke  asunder,  the  hills  of  eternity 
sank;  ways  of  eternity    are    to  him.     7.  I    saw  the  tents  of 


36  A    COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

Cushan  under  iniquity;  the  curtains  of  the  land  of  Midian 
shall  tremble.  8.  Against  the  rivers  has  burned,  Jehovah! 
against  the  rivers  thine  anger,  against  the  sea  thy  wrath; 
for  thou  wilt  ride  upon  thy  horses,  thy  chariots  of  salvation. 
9.  In  nakedness  thy  bow  is  made  bare;  sworn  missiles  is 
the  word.  Selah.  With  rivers  thou  wilt  cleave  earth.  10. 
The  mountains  saw  thee,  they  trembled;  the  flood  of  waters 
has  passed  by;  the  abyss  uttered  its  voice,  lifted  up  its  hands 
on  high.  II.  Sun,  moon,  stood  in  their  habitation;  at  the 
light  of  thine  arrows  they  »shall  go  forth,  at  the  brightness 
of  the  glittering  of  thy  spear.  12.  In  indignation  thou 
shalt  march  through  the  earth;  in  anger  thou  shalt  trample 
the  nations.  13.  Thou  hast  gone  out  unto  the  salvation 
of  thy  people,  unto  the  salvation  of  thine  anointed;  thou 
hast  smitten  the  head  from  the  house  of  the  wicked,  to  lay 
bare  the  foundation  unto  the  neck.  Selah.  14.  Thou  hast 
pierced  with  his  own  missiles  the  head  ot  his  leaders;  they  shall 
rush  on  to  scatter  me;  their  rejoicing  is  as  to  devour  the 
poor  in  a  lurking  place.  15.  Thou  hast  passed  through  the 
sea  with  thine  horses,  through  the  boiling  of  many  waters. 
16.  I  heard  and  my  belly  trembled;  at  the  voice  my  lips 
quivered;  rottenness  shall  come  into  my  bones,  and  under 
me  I  shall  tremble,  who  shall  rest  unto  a  day  of  distress,  to 
the  going  up  ot  the  people,  he  will  invade  him. 

17-19.  The  prophet's  submission  to  Jehovah's  will,  and 
his  expectation  of  good.  17.  For  the  fig  tree  shall  not 
bloom,  and  no  produce  on  the  vines,  the  work  ot  the  olive 
has  failed,  and  the  fields  not  yielded  food,  the  flock  has  been 
cut  off  from  the  fold,  and  no  herd  in  the  stalls.  18.  And 
I  will  rejoice  in  Jehovah,  and  exult  in  the  God  of  my  salva- 
tion. 19.  Jehovah,  lyord,  is  my  strength,  and  he  has  made 
my  feet  like  hinds,  he  has  caused  me  to  walk  on  my 
heights. 

19,  last  clause,  The  subscription.  To  the  chief  musi- 
cian, on  my  stringed  instruments. 


PROPHECY  OF  HABAKKUK.  37 

COMMENTARY  ON  HABAKKUK. 
CHAPTER  I. 

This  chapter  contains  four  paragraphs.  The  first  (v.  i,) 
is  the  title  of  the  book.  The  second  (vs.  2-4,)  contains  the 
prophet's  complaint  to  Jehovah  because  of  His  unconcern 
at  the  violence  and  crime  prevailing  in  Judah.  The  third 
(vs.  5-1 1,)  contains  Jehovah's  description  of  the  instrument 
He  has  prepared  for  the  punishment  of  Judah.  The  fourth 
(12-17,)  contains  the  prophet's  confidence  in  Jehovah's 
gracious  purpose. 

/.  The  utterance  which  Habakkiik  the  prophet  sazv.  This 
is  the  title  not  of  the  first  two  chapters  only,  but  of  the 
whole  book.  The  fact  that  the  third  chapter  has  a  special 
title  is  not  inconsistent  with  this  statement,  and  the  unity  of 
the  book  strongly  confirms  it.  The  word  massa  which  we 
have  rendered  "utterance"  is  regarded  by  some  commenta- 
tors as  a  mere  synonym  for  other  terms  which  are  used  to 
describe  a  prophetic  communication  such  as  "vision," 
"prophecy,"  (Newcomb.)  All  such  interpretations  are  ob- 
jectionable, because  they  pay  no  regard  to  the  origin  and 
usage  of  the  word  itself.  The  noun  here  used  is  derived 
trom  the  verb  nasa^  which  signifies  "to  lift  up,  to  raise," 
and  consequently  means  "that  which  is  lifted  up,"  and 
hence,  "a  burden."  Some  expositors,  adopting  the  signi- 
fication "burden,"  suppose  that  the  term  describes  the  fol- 
lowing prophecy  as  a  burdensome  message  given  by  Jeho- 
vah to  the  prophet,  and  borne  by  him  to  the  people,  (Poole, 
Gill,  Cowles.)  This  interpretation  is  objectionable  because 
we  never  meet  with  the  word  here  translated  "burden"  as- 
sociated with  the  name  of  a  prophet.  Others  explain  it  to 
mean  a  burdensome  or  minatory  prophecy,  which  announced 
the  approach  of  divine  judgments  that  would  bring  trouble 
and  pain  to  its  subjects,  just  as  the  burden  does  to  the 
bearer,  (Targum  of  Jonathan,  Aquila  in  Syriac  version, — 


38  A   COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

onus  aut  pondus — Jerome,  Miinsterus,  Vatablus,  Calvin, 
Grotius,  Piscator,  Cornelius  a  Ivapide, — Last — Luther,  Pag- 
nini,  Hesselberg,  Hengstenberg,  vScliegg,  Keil,  Dutch  An- 
notations, Westminster  Annotations,  English  version, 
Trapp,  Marburg,  Henry,  Scott,  Benson,  Sawyer,  Peck,  Rob- 
inson, Wordsworth,  Pusey, — book,  sentence — Henderson.) 
Commentators  differ  with  regard  to  the  bearer  of  the  bur- 
den. Many  express  no  opinion  on  this  point.  Some  rep- 
resent God  as  its  bearer,  burdened  by  the  sins  of  His  people. 
In  order  to  illustrate  this  idea,  Marburg  refers  to  Amos  2:  13, 
"Behold !  I  am  pressed  under  you  as  a  cart  is  pressed  that  is 
tull  of  sheaves."  Compare  Isa.  i:  14;  Mai.  3:  17.  Others 
regard  the  prophet  as  the  bearer,  inasmuch  as  he  endured 
deep  anxiety  and  apprehension  in  consequence  of  the  reve- 
lation made  to  him,  (Hurst,  Gill,  Cowles.)  Others  regard 
it  as  resting  upon  the  Jews,  (Calvin,  Marburg,  Hesselburg.) 
Others  on  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  (Sawyer,  Robinson.) 
And  others  still  on  all  nations,  (Keil,  et  al.)  This  interpre- 
tation is  liable  to  the  following  objections:  first,  no  version 
of  the  Old  Testament  possesses  higher  critical  value  than  the 
Septuagint.  It  was  made  by  Alexandrine  Jews,  whose  native 
language  was  Hebrew.  Whenever  in  the  opinion  of  the  Septua- 
gint the  word  massa  should  be  translated  "burden"  they  inter- 
pret it  by  such  terms  as  7tomos,  ajtaphora^  phortion^  et  al. 
When  the  Hebrew  word  refers  to  any  composition  or  utter- 
ance, it  is  translated  by  such  words  as  lemma^  horasis^  hor- 
ama^  rhema^  et  al.^  not  one  of  which  expresses  the  idea  of  a 
minatory  prophecy,  though  all  describe  it  as  an  inspired 
communication  from  God  to  man  through  His  prophet. 
Secondly,  several  Hebrew  words  are  used  by  the  sacred 
writers  as  titles  for  their  utterances.  Among  these  are  vis- 
ion or  prophecy,  but  these  words  are  used  to  describe  the 
prophecies  that  lollow  them,  either  as  inspired  by  Jehovah 
or  as  uttered  by  the  prophet  as  Jehovah's  agent.  Not  one 
of  them  expresses  the  eftect  produced  by  the  prophecy  of 
which  it  is  the  title,  upon  the  minds  of  men.     It  is  contrary 


PROPHECY    OF    HABAKKUK.  39 

then  to  the  analogy  of  Scripture  to  give  it  here  the  mean- 
ing of  a  threatening  prophecy,  i.  e.,  a  burden  to  those  against 
whom  it  is  directed.  Thirdly,  the  meaning  given  to  the 
word  should  be  applicable  in  every  case  where  it  is  used  to 
describe  a  prophetic  communication.  It  is,  however,  pre- 
fixed to  prophecies  which  are  not  wholly  minatory.  Such 
is  the  case  with  this  prophecy  of  Habakkuk.  It  predicts 
both  joy  and  sorrow  to  both  Chaldeans  and  Jews,  and  con- 
cludes with  a  theophany  of  Jehovah,  from  whose  effects,  the 
prophet  learns  the  lesson  of  faith  in  Him  in  the  most  sor- 
rowful circumstances.  The  book  cannot  therefore  be  cor- 
rectly described  as  a  minatory  prophecy.  Similar  in- 
stances occur  in  Isa.  19:  i;  23:  5,  where  threatenings  and 
comfort  are  closely  mingled.  It  is  remarkable  also,  that  in 
one  case  at  least,  Zech.  12:  i,  the  prophecy  which  follows  the 
title  contains  not  a  single  sentence  of  a  minatory  character 
against  Israel,  who  is  the  subject  of  the  utterance,  but  its 
threatenings  are  directed  against  the  enemies  of  Israel,  and 
its  whole  tenor  is  consolatory  to  the  chosen  people  of  God. 
The  word  occurs  also  as  the  title  of  Proverbs,  chapters  30 
and  31,  neither  of  which  has  a  threatening  character,  but 
each  consists  of  didactic  statements  of  truth  on  various  sub- 
jects. Fourthly,  it  is  admitted  that  this  word  is  usually 
followed  by  a  threatening  prophecy,  but  this  can  readily  be 
accounted  for  when  we  remember  that  Jehovah  is  holy  and 
just,  and  that  His  utterances  relate  to  sinful  men,  who  de- 
serve to  hear  such  statements.  But  the  fact  that  this  signifi- 
cation does  not  suit  the  word  in  all  cases,  shows  that  there 
must  be  another  meaning  which  shall  be  applicable  where- 
ever  it  occurs  as  a  prophetic  communication.  Finally,  this 
word  is  interpreted  to  mean  an  utterance  or  enunciation  of 
more  importance  than  any  statement  made  in  ordinary 
conversation,  and  which  consequently  demands  the  attention 
of  the  hearer.  It  corresponds  very  closely  to  the  word 
''deliverance,"  as  used  in  such  phrases  as  a  deliverance  of 
the  Supreme  Court  or  of  the  General  Assembly,  i.  e.,  an  im- 


40  A   COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

portant  and  authoritative  enunciation,  ( — effatum, — Acker- 
man,  Maurer,  Rosenmueller,  Anspruch,  Theiner,  Delitzsch, 
Umbreit,  Phillipsen,  De  Wette,  Hitzig, — Hochspruch — 
Ewald.)  This  interpretation  agrees  accurately  with  the 
derivation  and  usage  of  the  word.  The  verb  nasa  has  the 
signification  of  "to  utter"  in  all  phrases  which  refer  to  any- 
thing spoken,  such  as  "to  lift  up  a  voice,  a  cry,  the  name 
of  the  lyord,  a  prayer,  a  lamentation,  a  parable,  a  psalm,  a 
reproach,  Ps.  15:  3;  Ex.  20:  7;  Hab.  2:  6;  Num.  23:  7;  Isa. 
14:  4.  It  never  in  such  cases  signifies  "to  threaten."  The 
meaning  "utterance"  is  applicable  to  the  original  word 
wherever  it  occurs.  It  is  consequently  to  be  regarded  as 
its  true  rendering.  It  describes  the  succeeding  prophecy  as 
an  important  and  authoritative  annunciation.  This  word 
is  limited  sometimes  by  the  word  "Jehovah,"  sometimes  by  the 
phrase,  "the  word  of  Jehovah,"  sometimes  by  the  names  of 
the  lands  or  nations  to  which  it  refers,  and  sometimes,  as  in 
the  present  instance,  by  a  descriptive  clause.  It  is  here  said 
to  be  the  utterance  which  the  prophet  Habakkuk  saw.  It 
is  that  part  of  the  whole  prophetic  revelation  which  he,  as 
God's  messenger,  was  commissioned  to  declare  to  men.  (See 
remarks  on  his  life  and  office  in  the  Introduction.)  Abar- 
banel  notices  the  fact  that  the  designation  "prophet"  is  ap- 
plied to  only  three  of  the  minor  prophets,  viz.,  Haggai, 
Zechariah,  and  Habakkuk,  and  gives  as  his  reason  for  it,  that 
in  their  prophecies  the  phrases  "The  word  ot  the  Lord 
came.  Thus  saith  the  Lord,"  &c.,  so  common  in  the 
writings  of  other  inspired  men,  do  not  occur,  and  hence  the 
specific  designation  prophet  is  applied  to  them,  in  the  title 
of  the  book. — Vision  was  one  of  the  methods  by  which  God 
communicated  His  will  to  men.  While  under  the  influence 
of  the  Spirit,  the  mind  of  the  prophet  was  abstracted  from 
all  other  objects,  and  fixed  upon  the  things  seen,  while  his 
body  often  seemed  asleep.  This  was  a  common  method  of 
inspiration.  Hence  prophets  were  at  first  called  "seers," 
and  the  verb  "to  see"  was    generally    used  to  express  the 


PROPHECY   OF   HABAKKUK.  4 I 

perception  of  truth  by  inspiration.  This  prophetic  vision 
differs  from  natural  sight,  from  the  operation  of  the  natural 
reason,  and  from  the  spiritual  illumination  by  which  the 
believer  sees  the  beauty,  force  and  applicability  of  the  truth. 
It  describes  the  effect  produced  by  the  Holy  Ghost  upon 
men,  when  He  communicates  truth  to  their  minds,  and 
controls  them  while  uttering  the  Word  of  God  to  others. 
Habakkuk  here  claims  such  inspiration  for  himself,  and  a 
place  for  his  book  in  the  written  Word  of  God. 

2-4.  The  prophet  complains  to  Jehovah  ot  His  apparent 
Unconcern,  though  crime  prevails  in  Judah.  How  long^ 
Jehovah,  have  I  cried^  and  thou  wilt  not  heai\f  {how  long) 
shall  I  cry  out  unto  thee^  Violence^  and  thou  wilt  not  save? 
The  prophet  speaks  as  the  representative  of  Israel,  not  of  the 
common  people  or  vulgus^  but  of  the  pious  in  Israel,  the 
members  of  God's  household,  who  were  compelled  to  live  in 
the  midst  of  abounding  sin,  and  shared  in  its  evil  conse- 
quences.— Jehovah  is  the  self-existent,  eternal,  and  un- 
changeable God,  the  God  of  revelation  and  the  covenant 
God  of  His  people.  This  name  of  God  was  originally  written 
*'Yahaveh,"  which  is  the  third  person  future  of  the  Hebrew 
verb  "to  be,  havahy  It  was  regarded  by  the  Hebrews  as 
peculiarly  sacred,  and  was  pronounced  only  by  the  high  priest 
when  he  entered  into  the  Holy  of  Holies.  Where  it  occurs 
in  the  Scriptures,  the  Jews  substituted  one  of  the  other 
names  of  God  for  it.  In  order  to  indicate  this  the  vowels 
of  the  substituted  name  were  written  in  connection  with  the 
consonants  of  the  word  "Yahaveh."  We  therefore  gener- 
erally  pronounce  it  by  the  aid  of  the  vowels  ot  Adhonai^  the 
ordinary  word  for  "Lord."  Habakkuk's  language  implies 
that  the  condition  of  things  which  induced  him  to  cry  for 
help  had  already  existed  for  a  long  time,  and  was  so  des- 
perate that  nothing  but  the  interference  of  Yahaveh  could 
afford  relief  This  is  indicated  both  by  the  appeal  to 
Yahaveh,  and  by  the  mingling  of  the  past  and  future  tenses 
of  the  verbs  in  his   complaint.     The}-  are  used   to   express 


42  A   COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

intense  feeling.  The  violence  of  which  he  complains  is  not 
that  of  the  Chaldeans,  as  Hitzig  thinks.  For  their  invasion 
was  still  luture,  and  is  not  announced  to  the  prophet  in 
Jehovah's  reply  to  his  complaint.  It  is  intended  to  desig- 
nate the  abuse  of  power  manifested  in  oppressive  acts  of 
cruelty  and  injustice  throughout  the  Kingdom  of  Judah  in 
public  and  private.  This  term  is  used  in  Gen.  6:  11-13,  to 
describe  the  moral  condition  of  things  before  the  flood,  and 
in  Ps.  18:  48,  it  describes  the  conduct  of  David's  enemies. 
Its  nature  and  effects  are  described  in  verses  2-4.  The  in- 
difference of  Jehovah  to  the  cry  of  the  prophet  is  expressed, 
first,  by  His  not  hearing,  and  secondly,  by  His  not  saving 
the  prophet  and  his  people.  God  is  the  covenant  God  of 
Israel,  able  to  save,  and  engaged  to  help  them  in  times  of 
trouble.  The  people  of  God  often  think  His  ear  closed 
against  their  petitions,  and  His  hand  unwilling  to  save,  and 
on  this  account  the  prophet  appeals  to  Jehovah.  His  cry, 
though  earnest  and  importunate,  was  hitherto  unavailing. 
For  God  did  not  yet  interfere  to  remove  the  causes  of  his 
solicitude.  Jehovah,  because  He  is  what  He  is,  is  the  only 
refuge  of  His  people  in  time  of  trouble.  He  does  not,  how- 
ever, always  answer  prayer  when  we  offer  it,  or  give  us  just 
what  we  desire.  The  people  of  God  are  appointed  unto 
affliction,  and  in  infinite  wisdom  He  never  removes  it  from 
them  until  the  proper  time  comes. 

J.  Wky  wilt  thou  show  me  iniquity^  and  why  wilt  thou 
behold  trouble  ?  Oppression  and  violence  are  before  me^ 
a7id  strife  has  existed^  and  contentio7t  will  raise  itself. 
The  particle  ''why,"  i.  e.,  "to  what  extent  and  for  what 
purpose,"  may  be  supplied  before  each  clause  of  the  verse, 
though  it  is  perhaps  better  to  regard  its  influence  as  ex- 
tending only  to  the  first  two  clauses.  The  prophet  first 
traces  the  origin  of  the  present  condition  of  things  to  in- 
iquity, and  then  describes  it  as  trouble.  He  declares  with 
reference  to  iniquity,  first,  that  God  permitted  it  to  abound, 
and  placed  the  prophet  in  a  position  where  he   must  see  it. 


PROPHECY   OF   HABAKKUK.  43 

The  word  translated  "iniquity"  means  originally,  "nonentity," 
then  "the  absence  of  all   goodness,"    then  negatively,  "un- 
righteousness,"   or    positively,     "wickedness,"   "iniquity," 
and      more      specifically      "injustice,      falsehood."      Here 
the    more   general  sense  is  preferable,  which  is    then   ren- 
dered   more   specific    in    the  third  clause,  "why  wilt    thou 
then  behold  trouble?"  This  is  preferable  to  the  translation  of 
the  King  James  version,  and  of  Newcomb  and  Rosenmueller, 
"and  cause  me  to  behold  grievance,"  for  the  reason  that  the 
verb  tabhit  is  never  used  elsewhere  in  a  causative  sense.     It 
is  also  used  elsewhere,  e.   g.,  in  Isaiah,   to    express  "look- 
ing at  with  indifference."     "To  behold"  signifies    here  "to 
look  upon  without  interfering  to  prevent  it."     This  second 
ground  of  complaint  is,  that  Jehovah  regarded  their  trouble 
only   as  a   careless    and    indifferent   spectator,  which  God 
really  seems  to  do,  (Hitzig  and  Hengstenberg).     The  word 
translated  "trouble"  means  originally  "toil,  labor,"  and  then, 
like  the  corresponding  Greek  and    Latin   words  ponos  and 
labor ^  means  "trouble."     It    is   related   to    the  noun  in  the 
preceding  clause,  as  the  effect   to    cause.     These  nouns  are 
frequently    used    elsewhere    in    the    same   relation.     This 
trouble  is  further  described  by  the  terms  "oppression  and 
violence."     Jarchi    interprets    "iniquity,"    as    "plundering, 
laying  waste."     Aben-Ezra  interprets  it,  "men  of  iniquity," 
i.  e.,  the  Chaldeans,  "wherefore  dost  thou    look    upon,    nor 
bring  aid;  wherefore  dost  thou  permit  me  to  see  the    devas- 
tation of  the  barbarian  enemy,  and    not   bring  aid?"     The 
iniquity  mentioned  in  the  first  clause,  is  here  expressed  more 
specifically.     While  iniquity  in  all  its  forms  prevailed,  the 
abuse  of  power  in  acts  of  oppression  and  injustice  was  most 
prominent.     They  were  before  him  in    the  sense  of  being 
openly  and  frequently  committed,  so  that,  as  it  were,  he  could 
not  look  without  seeing  them,    and  though  a  prophet,  not- 
withstanding all  his  remonstrances,  exhortations,  and    re- 
proofs. (Gill.)     Strife  and    contention  are  the  most    promi- 
nent elements  in  the  prophet's  idea  ot  trouble;  strife  refers 


44  ^^    COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

to  all  differences  both  public  and  private,  and  contentions 
to  the  quarrels  and  disputes  that  follow  them.  The  last 
verb  is  the  root  from  which  the  noun  massa  in  verse  i  is 
derived.  It  means  that  contention  makes  itself  a  promi- 
nent object  of  view,  obtrudes  itself  on  one's  notice.  Sin 
and  trouble  are  closely  bound  together  in  the  administration 
of  God's  government  as  cause  and  effect,  or  a<J  labor  and 
its  reward;  one  sin  often  leads  to  another.  Oppression  and 
violence  are  represented  here  as  the  precursor  of  strife  and 
contention.  One  sin  may  sometimes  be  the  penalty  of 
another  sin.  The  strife  and  contention,  while  in  them- 
selves sinful,  were  the  punitive  consequence  of  their  oppres- 
sion and  violence.  Though  God  seems  to  us  to  look  on 
our  sins  and  troubles  with  indifference,  yet,  as  the  sequel  of 
this  prophecy  shows.  He  will  vindicate  His  own  glory  in 
His  own  time  and  way.     Might  does  not  make  right. 

4.  Therefore  law  shall  be  torpid^  aud  judgnieiit  will  not 
go  forth  to  purity;  for  the  wicked  is  encompassing  the 
righteous^  wherefore  judgment  shall  go  jorth  pei^verted. 
"Therefore,"  i.  e.,  because  thou,  Jehovah,  will  not  interfere 
to  prevent  this  evil  and  distressing  state  ot  affairs.  Law  is 
the  rule  of  duty.  In  Judah,  the  law  of  Moses  was  its  writ- 
ten representative.  It  was  both  the  civil  and  religious  code 
of  the  nation,  and  is  here  described  as  dormant,  paralyzed, 
inoperative.  It  was  neither  observed  as  a  rule  of  duty,  nor 
executed  as  the  index  of  punishment  to  evildoers.  ''''And 
judgment  goes  not  forth  to  purity ^  The  administration  of 
justice  does  not  terminate  in  the  establishment  of  right.  A 
parallel  passage  is  found  Isa.  42:  3,  where  the  Messiah  is 
said  to  "bring  forth  judgment  unto  truth,"  i.  e.,  so  as  to  es- 
tablish truth  instead  of  falsehood.  Others  interpret  this 
clause  as  in  our  version  "judgment  never  goes  forth,"  and 
others,  "judgment  does  not  go  forth,"  by  truth.  Whichever 
interpretation  be  adopted,  the  sense  remains  the  same,  that 
the  administration  of  the  law  does  not  result  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  that  which  is  pure  and  right,  and   in   the   con- 


PROPHECY   OF    HABAKKUK.  45 

demnation  of  the  wicked.  The  prophet  assigns  the  second- 
ary cause  of  the  state  of  things  described  in  the  preceding 
clauses.  This  was  the  fact,  that  the  wicked  surrounded  the 
righteous,  as  enemies  encompass  a  besieged  city.  The 
wicked  surpass  the  righteous  in  number,  repress  their  good 
influence,  and  treat  them  as  enemies,  wherefore  judgment 
is  perverted,  a  repetition  of  the  sentiment  ot  the  second 
clause,  as  the  consequence  of  the  multitude,  power,  and 
hatred  of  the  wicked.  While  Jehovah  delays  to  execute  His 
judgments,  the  hearts  of  men  are  fully  set  in  them  to  do  evil, 
and  while  iniquity  abounds,  the  love  of  many  waxes  cold, 
and  the  law  of  God  becomes  powerless  to  guide  in  the  way 
of  duty  or  restrain  from  crime. 

5-1 1.  Jehovah  replies  to  the  complaint  of  the 
prophet.  5.  Jehovah  directs  the  attention  of  the 
prophet  and  his  people  to  His  marvellous  work 
among  the  nations,  which  is  so  strange  as  to  be  in- 
credible. 6.  This  work  is  God's  raising  up  the  Chaldeans 
as  the  instrument  for  punishing  Israel.  This  is  a  bitter 
and  impetuous  people  which  marches  through  the  breadth 
of  the  earth.  7.  They  are  terrible  and  dreadful;  their 
supremacy  is  entire.  8.  Their  cavalry  are  fierce  and  swift, 
and  soon  cover  the  land.  9.  Their  object  shall  be  violence, 
and  they  shall  gather  many  captives.  10.  They  shall  scoff 
at  mighty  men  and  strongholds.  11.  They  shall  transgress, 
imputing  their  power  to  their  god. 

5.  Behold  ye  among  the  peoples^  and  re^ard^  and  be 
greatly  astonished!  For  a  work  working  in  yonr  days^  ye 
will  not  believe^  though  it  be  told.  God  speaks  in  this  par- 
agraph, and  the  verbs  are  in  the  plural  because  He  addresses 
both  the  prophet  and  the  people  of  Judah,  whom  he  repre- 
sents. Jehovah  proposes  a  remedy  for  the  present  state  of 
affairs,  which  is  remarkable,  because  it  corresponds  so  ex- 
actly with  what  has  already  been  said  in  the  preceding 
verses.  The  prophet  has  described  what  he  has  seen,  and 
expresses  his  amazement.     God  now  bids  him  look  again, 


46  A    COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

and  be  amazed  at  the  plan  which  Jehovah  Himself  has  al- 
ready adopted  to  remove  the  trouble.  The  prophet's  atten- 
tion is  directed  to  the  surrounding  nations,  where  the  indi- 
cations of  God's  plan  may  already  be  seen.  His  view  must 
no  longer  be  confined  to  his  past  experience,  nor  to  the 
condition  of  his  own  land,  but  embrace  Syria,  Assyria, 
Babylonia,  Egypt,  and  all  their  dependencies.  In  these 
lands  the  agencies  are  already  at  work  that  will  accomplish 
God's  purposes.  These  purposes  are  wonderful  in  their 
nature,  marvellous  in  their  consummation,  and  amazing  in 
their  effects.  The  reduplication  of  verbs  of  similar  signifi- 
cation in  the  first  hemistich,  conveys  the  sentiment  that 
Jehovah  regards  the  object  which  He  points  out,  as  one  of 
great  importance  and  deserving  their  most  earnest  attention. 
The  reason  assigned  for  this  duty  is  the  marvellousness  of 
the  work  going  on  in  their  da}'S.  No  personal  pronoun  is 
used,  as  in  the  English  Bible,  to  describe  the  author  of  this 
work,  which  must  be  regarded  as  the  object  of  the  verb 
translated  "ye  will  not  believe."  This  work  includes  many 
particulars,  involving  all  that  was  requisite  in  the  chastise- 
ment of  one  nation  by  another.  Here  it  embraces  the  over- 
throw of  the  Assyrian  Empire,  the  conquest  of  Philistia  and 
Palestine  by  Egypt,  the  rise  of  the  Babylonian  Empire,  the 
expulsion  of  the  Egyptians  from  Carchemish,  and  the  in- 
vasion of  Judah  by  the  Chaldeans.  This  work  is  described 
as  in  actual  progress  "in  your  days."  The  unusual  expres- 
sion a  "work  working"  suggests  the  thought  that  this  work 
is  not  completed,  but  is  daily  advancing  to  its  consumma- 
tion, which  would  be  reached  in  the  days  of  that  generation. 
The  phraseology  of  the  next  verse,  "Behold  me  raising  up 
the  Chaldeans,"  while  it  explains  the  nature  of  the  work, 
also  asserts  the  present  and  continued  activity  of  Jehovah 
in  its  execution.  Even  while  His  people  sinned,  suffered, 
and  complained,  the  God  of  providence  was  exerting 
His  energies  in  doing  that  which,  when  accomplished, 
would  be  worthy  of  Himself,  and  exactly    suited  to  the  cir- 


PROPHECY    OF    HABAKKUK.  47 

cumstances  of  His  people.  The  expression  "a  work  work- 
ing in  your  days"  may  be  illustrated  by  such  phrases  as  "the 
leaven  leavening  the  whole  lump,"  "to  see  a  house  building" 
"to  hear  a  train  running."  In  every  case  when  a  participle 
governs  an  object,  whether  it  be  a  noun  or  a  clause,  the 
participle  precedes  the  object.  Chapter  2:  5,  6;  2:  9;  2:  12; 
2:  15;  2:  18;  2:  19.  In  no  case  does  the  participle  follow  the 
object.  The  expression  "in  your  days"  may  comprise  a  whole 
lifetime  of  seventy  years,  but  it  more  frequently  describes  a 
period  of  fo£t};_Years  as  the  duration  of  a  generation.  The 
generation  which  Moses  brought  out  of  Egypt  lived  but 
forty  years,  with  the  exception  of  Joshua  and  Caleb.  Num. 
14:  33;  32:  13;  Acts  13:  18;  Joshua  5:  6.  It  seems  very 
appropriate  to  the  circumstances  of  the  case  that 
the  Lord  should  employ  the  same  time  in  pre- 
paring Judah  for  their  expulsion  from  the  land  of  Canaan,  that 
was  occupied  in  preparing  Israel  for  their  entrance  into  that 
land.  The  condition  on  which  Israel  should  possess  and 
enjoy  the  land  of  Canaan  was,  obedience  to  the  law  of  God. 
2  Kings  21:  8.  The  cup  of  Judah's  iniquity  became  lull  in 
the  days  of  Manasseh.  The  sins  of  both_^iiig_and  people 
were  so  great,  that  they  ^rendered  it  accessary  that  God 
should  remove  them  out  of  His  sight.  2  Kings  24:^;  21:  2-9. 
The  pious  life  of  Josiah,  and  the  reformation  which  he  ef- 
fected, were  not  sufficient  to  turn  the  Lord  from  the  fierce- 
ness of  His  great  wrath  wherewith  His  anger  was  kindled 
against  Judah,  because  of  the  provocation  wherewith  Man- 
asseh had  provoked  him  withal,  2  Kings  23:  26;  2  Chron. 
34:22.  If  then  the  invasion  of  Judah  by  Nebuchadm  zzar 
occurred  B.  C.  608,  the  term  of  forty  years  would  extend  to 
B.  C.  648,  four  years  before  the  close  of  Manasseh's  reign,  a 
time  exactly  adapted  to  the  nature  and  purpose  of  Habakkuk's 
prophecy.  It  would  include  all  the  particulars  already 
mentioned  as  belonging  to  this  work.  Inspired  records  of 
Jewish  history,  though  they  do  not  mention  Habakkuk, 
speak  of  the  prophets  "in  those  days,"  in  terms  which  ex- 


48  A    COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

actly  describe  Habakkuk  and  his  work,  2  Kings  21:  10, 
and  all  their  prophecies  correspond  with  Jewish  history 
between  B.  C.  648  and  608.  This  announcement  would 
be  so  marvellous  as  to  be  incredible  both  to  the  prophet  and 
his  people.  The  work  itself  would  require  all  the  laborious 
effort  implied  in  an  invasion  and  conquest  oi  Judah  by  an- 
other nation,  and  it  seemed  utterly  inconsistent  with  the 
idea  that  Judah  was  the  chosen  people  of  God,  an  idea 
which  had  been  cherished  by  them  for  many  centuries  past. 
The  reason  assigned  for  the  marvellousness  of  their  unbelief 
is,  "for  it  shall  be  told."  There  would  be  no  lack  of  infor- 
mation, which  would  excuse  their  unbelief  God  would 
tell  them  all  that  they  needed  to  know,  and  that  which  He 
revealed  to  them  would  certainly  be  fulfilled.  Consequently 
they  might  well  be  amazed  at  what  they  saw  and  heard. 

6.  For  behold  me^  raising  up  the  Chaldeans^  the  bitter  and 
hasty  nation^  the  onegoiiig  unto  the  breadths  of  the  earth  to  pos- 
sess the  dzvelling places  (that  belong)  not  to  it. ' '  '  ^For  behold  me^ 
raising  upy  The  word  ''for"  introduces  the  proof  of  the 
declaration  that  God  was  at  work,  however  incredible  it 
might  seem  to  them.  The  attention  of  the  people  is  di- 
rected first,  to  the  worker,  secondly,  to  the  peculiar  nature  of 
the  work  itself,  and  thirdly,  to  the  instrument  by  which  it 
shall  be  performed.  The  worker  is  the  Jehovah  unto  whom 
the  prophet  makes  his  complaint  in  verse  2,  who  is  not  only 
the  self-existent  and  eternal  God,  and  the  covenant  God  of 
Israel,  but  also  the  God  who  reigns  among  the  nations  of 
the  earth.  "No  man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time,"  but  men 
may  still  behold  him  intellectually  and  spiritually  by  the 
proper  improvement  of  reason  and  ol  spiritual  gifts.  The 
participle  translated  "raising  up,"  is  active,  and  refers  to 
what  God  is  now  doing  among  the  nations  of  the  earth.  It 
implies  that  He  has  already  selected  and  appointed  the  Chal- 
deans as  His  agents.  It  represents  Jehovah  as  actually  en- 
gaged in  preparing  them  to  act  their  destined  part  in  the 
accomplishment  of  His  designs.     It  asserts  that  God  is  now 


PROPHECY   OF   HABAKKUK.  49 

qualifying  them  for  it,  and  inciting  or  permitting  them  to  en- 
ter  on    it   at   the   proper   time    and    in    the   proper   way, 
and  that  when  they  had  entered  on  it,  He  would  direct,  as- 
sist,   and  overrule  them.     The  signification  by  many  inter- 
preters   of    "rousing"    or  "exciting"  is  too  limited.     For 
Jehovah  is    a  wise,  mighty  and  omniscient  Sovereign,  in 
whose  government  the  preparation  of    means    of  punish- 
ment is  contemplated  in  connection    with  the  commission 
of  sin.     The  punishment  itself  is  in  entire  accordance  with 
the  law  of  God,  and  its  infliction  accomplishes  God's    penal 
purposes.     The  people  whom  Jehovah  raises  up  are  called 
"Chaldeans"  or,  as  it  is  written  in  Hebrew,  Casdmi.     This 
name  is  plural  in  form,  and  is  by  many  interpreters  derived 
liom  the  nam^e  of  their  ancestor  Chesed,  who  was  Abraham's 
nephew.  Gen.  22:  22.  Ewald  and  others  refer  the  name  of 
Casdim    to    that   ot  Arphaxad,  an    ancestor  of  Abraham, 
mentioned    in    Gen.     10:22.     Oppert    supposes    that    the 
name  is  of  Tartaric  origin,  and  signifies,  "two  rivers,"  and 
therefore  describes  the  region  known  as  Mesopotamia.  The 
Chaldeans  were  the  subjects  of  the  kingdom  whose   capital 
was  Babylon.     Their  origin  and  early  history  are  shrouded 
in  the  mists  of  antiquity.     The  earliest  Scriptural  reference 
to  them  is  contained  in  Gen.  11:  28,    where  Abraham  is 
paid  to  have  been  brought  out  from  Ur  of  the  Chaldees. 
They  are  said  by    Xenophon  to  have  dwelt  in  the  moun- 
tains of  Armenia  or  Kurdistan,  while  in  sacred  history   we 
meet  with  them  only  as  inhabitants  ot  the  plain  of  Shinar. 
These   apparently    contradictory  statements  are  reconciled 
by  supposing  them  to  have  been  a  nomadic  tribe  of  moun- 
taineers   whose    original  home    was  iVrmenia,  and  whose 
name  was  analogous  with  that  of  the  Kurds,  and   that  part 
of  the   tribe   either  emigrated  voluntarily  to  Babylonia,    or 
was  taken  captive  and  transferred  thither  by  the   victorious 
Assyrians,  according  to  their  usual    method  of  dealing  with 
conquered  nations.     The  theory  ot  their  deportation  by  the 
Ass3'rians  agrees  well  with  the  language  of  Isaiah  23:  13, 


50  A   COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

"Behold  the  Chaldeans!  this  people  was  not,  until  the  As- 
syrians tounded  it  for  them  that  dwell  in  the  wilderness." 
Having  become  domesticated  in  the  plain  of  Shinar,  they 
threw  off  the  yoke  of  the  Assyrians,  and  became  indepen- 
nent.  They  were  still,  however,  under  the  dominion  of  As- 
syria during  the  reign  of  Manasseh,  II  Chron.  33:  11,  and, 
in  connection  with  the  Medes,  destroyed  Nineveh,  B.  C. 
625.  They  were  a  bold  and  martial  people,  and  soon  ex- 
tended their  dominions  far  and  wide,  rapidly  becoming  the 
dominant  power  among  the  surrounding  nations.  But  their 
history  is  obscure  until  the  days  of  Nabopolassar  and  his 
son  Nebuchadnezzar,  whose  name  appears  more  frequently 
in  sacred  history  than  any  other  monarch  of  Babylon.  The 
Chaldeans  are  here  described,  first,  in  general  terms  as  a 
"bitter  and  hasty  nation."  As  a  bitter  substance  com- 
municates its  own  bitterness  to  our  tongues,  so  the  Chal- 
deans produce  bitterness  of  heart  in  those  with  whom  they 
come  in  contact.  They  disregard  the  comfort,  peace,  hap- 
piness and  rights  of  individuals  and  nations.  Their  gov- 
ernment is  autocratic.  They  are  selfish,  fierce  and  cruel. 
They  distress  their  fellow-men  by  communicating  to  indi- 
viduals, disappointment,  sorrow,  pain  and  death;  by  bring- 
ing upon  their  armies,  disaster  and  defeat;  by  overthrowing 
nations,  by  slaying  their  rulers,  and  by  deporting  captive 
nations.  Thus  they  created  in  others  that  bitterness  of 
spirit  which  made  life  a  burden.  The  Chaldeans  were  a 
"hasty"  nation.  This  implies,  first,  that  they  were  rapid 
in  their  movements,  their  armies  made  speedy  advances 
upon  their  enemies,  and  secondly,  that  they  were  energetic, 
vehement,  irascible,  impetuous,  always  ready  to  avenge  a 
wrong,  or  to  secure  any  advantage  over  their  fellow-men. 
Their  ferocity  and  impetuosity  are  also  found  combined  as 
their  most  striking  characteristics,  in  the  prophetic  symbol 
of  the  Babylonian  kingdom,  namely,  "the  lion  with  eaglets 
wings,"  Dan  7:  4.  The  appropriateness  of  this  descrip- 
tion   may    be     seen     both    in     the    operations     of    the 


PROPHECY   OF   HABAKKUK.  5 1 

government,    and    in    the    acts    of    individuals.     Several 
circumstances      are     recorded    in      Scripture      confirming 
the  correctness  of  this  description.     Thus,  the  treatment  ot 
Zedekiah  and  his  family  b3^ their  captors,  II.  Chron.  26  :  17; 
the  deportation  of  captive  nations,  the  threat  of  Nebuchad- 
nezzar against  the  magicians,  Dan.  2:  10-13;  the  casting  of 
the  three  young  men  into  the  fiery  furnace,  Dan.  3:   19-20; 
the  slaughter  ot  the  young  men,  11.  Chron.  34:   17;  the  de- 
struction of  Jerusalem,  II.  Chron.  34:   19;  may  be  cited  as 
appropriate  illustrations.     After  this  short  and  striking  por- 
trait, the  lyord  points  out  the  various  features  that  compose 
it,  and  exhibits  it  as  presenting  a  fit  instrument  for  the  ex- 
ecution of  His  plans.     The  first  of  these  is  that  the  Chaldean 
nation  is  "the  one  going  to   the  breadths  of  the  earth,   to 
possess  the  dwellings  that  belong  not  to  it,"  traversing  the 
broad  lands  of  the  earth  unto  its  utmost  limits.     The  word 
translated  "earth"  should  not  be  confined,  as  in  the  author- 
ized English  version,  to  the  land  of  Judah,  but  embraces  the 
whole  world,  and  the  phrase  "the  breadths   of  the  earth" 
includes  not  merely  its  broad  plains  or  wide  places  but  its 
entire  surface  in  every  direction  to  its  farthest  boundaries. 
So  the  phrase  "the  depths  of  the  sea"  describes  its  waters  to 
its  very  bottom.     The  plural  form  of  the  word   "breadths" 
possibly  contains  a  reference  to   the  ancient  geographical 
idea  that  the  world  had  a  level  surface  of  unknown  extent, 
and  the  nation  is  here  said  to  make  progress  in  every  direc- 
tion, north,  south,  east  and  west,  until  it  reaches  the  ends 
of  the  earth.     Its  designs  are  accompanied  by  the  irresistible 
progress  of  its  power,  and  its  victorious  armies  secure  the 
dwellings   that    belong    not   to    it.     God    is   sovereign   of 
nations,  and  manages  them  so  as   to  accomplish   His  pur- 
poses in  His  own  time  and  way.     He  punishes  nations  by 
natural  and  temporal  calamities.     His  instruments  for  the 
chastisement  of  sin  are  often  in  course  of  preparation  even 
while  the  sinner  is  in  course  of  transgression.     His  wisdom 
is  displayed  also  in  the  adaptation  of  means  to  the  accom- 


53  A    COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

plishineiit  of  the  end.     When  He  would  punish  Judah,  He 
raises  up  the  Chaldeans  to  do  it  for  Him. 

7.  Terrible  and  dreadful  {is  it\  from  itself  its  judgment 
and  its  dignity  shall  go  forth.  The  people  is  autocratic,  and 
its  own  will  is  its  law.  It  is  an  object  of  terror  and  dread, 
because  it  possesses  the  character  ascribed  to  it  in  the  con- 
text. TliewordJ  judgment''  must  here  signify  the  admin- 
istration of  justice^  The  word~^^dignity"  means  its  majesty 
or  supremacy  over  others.  In  all  judicial  matters,  it  is 
despotic,  acknowledging  no  law  but  its  own  will.  Its  dig- 
nity is  the  fruit  of  its  own  exertions,  and  is  maintained  by 
its  own  ability.  The  verb^^alXggjbrth"  is  in  the  third 
person  singular  of  the  future  tense.  The  use  of  a  verb  in 
the  singular,  with  two  subjects  connected  by  a  conjunction, 
shows  that  the  two  subjects  belong  to  the  same  class  of 
things,  and  may  be  included  in  one  common  expression, 
such  as  the  lollowing  :  his  supremacy  both  as  judge  and 
lord  is  autocratic,  self-derived,  and  self-maintained.  The 
future  tense  implies  that  such  is  its  character  now,  and  such 
it  will  continue  to  be  in  the  future.  The  despotism  of  the 
Chaldean  rule  is  matter  of  history. 

8.     And  swifter  than  leopards  are  its    horses.,   and  more 
fierce  than  the  wolves  of  evenhig;  mid  its   horsemen   sweep 
proudly  on^  and  its  horsemen  shall  come  from  afar;  they  shall 
fly  like  an  eagle   hastening  to  eat.     In  Judah  the  horse   was 
comparatively  rare.     The  Mosaic  law,  Deut.fe^l:  #,  posi-^/?^^ 
tively    forbade    the    kings   of  Judah   to  multiply    horses. 
Among  the  surrounding  nations,  however,    they  were  more 
extensively  reared  and  more  generally   employed,  and  con- 
sequently  constituted   a   much  larger  element  in    national 
wealth  and  power.     They  are  never  mentioned  among  the 
beasts  of    burden,  but  allusion  is  often  made  to  their  em- 
ployment for  military  purposes.    _They  are  introduced"  into 
the~description  of  the  Chaldeans,  because  cavalry  was  so 
important  an  arm  of  service  in  their  army,  while  m  'that  of 
Judah  it  was  so  insignificant.     The  leopard  is  an  animal 


PROPHECY   OF   HABAKKUK.  53 

of  the  cat  kind,  noted  for  its  swiftness.  It  is  more  spirited, 
mettlesome,  and  keen  than  the  wolf,  surpassing  it  in  speed, 
courage,  and  endurance.  The  wolf  remains  in  his  den  dur- 
ing the  day,  and  prowls  about  for  food  during  the  evening 
and  night.  This  habit  of  the  animal  has  given  rise  to  some 
singular  proverbial  expressions  in  various  languages.  Thus 
the  twilight  is  called  by  the  Arabs  and  Persians,  "the  tail  of 
the  wolf,"  and  by  the  French,  "the  period  entre  cllien  et 
loup,"  i.  e.,  the  time  between  the  dog  and  the  wolf  In 
the  evening  the  wolf,  hungry  alter  his  day's  fast,  would  be 
far  keener  in  the  pursuit  ot  his  prey  than  in  the  morning. 
"And  its  horsemen."  The  original  word  for  "horsemen" 
is  applied  sometimes  to  the  horse,  and  sometimes  to  its 
rider.  Henderson,  to  imitate  this  peculiarity,  translates 
this  clause  "his  horse  shall  spread  proudly  along."  The 
signification  "horsemen,  cavalry,"  is  appropriate  here,  and 
is  indeed  the  theme  ot  the  whole  verse.  For  the  horses 
mentioned  in  the  first  clause  are  those  of  the  Chaldean's  cav- 
alry. The  Hebrew  wQxhpush^  translated  ^^  sweep  proudly  on^^^ 
probably  corresponds  in  significance  with  the  analogous 
Arabic  verb,  which  means  "to  act  proudly,  to  prance, 
to  curvet."  The  whole  tenor  of  the  passage  suggests  the 
idea  of  a  bold,  rapid  and  forward  movement.  "And  its 
horsemen  shall  come  from  afar."  The  verb  "come"  implies 
approach  to  the  land  of  Judah,  where  Jehovah  had  His  es- 
pecial dwelling.  They  make  long  and  rapid  journeys  with 
as  little  weariness  as  the  eagle.  See  Deut.  28:  49,  50;  Jer. 
5:  15.  The  eagle's  strong  pinions  never  weary  in  pursuit 
of  his  prey,  however  great  the  distance  at  which  his  pierc- 
ing eye  may  discover  it.  The  particular  species  of  the  ani- 
mals mentioned  here,  cannot  and  need  not  be  accurately  de- 
termined, because  the  qualities  ascribed  to  them,  are  not 
peculiarities  of  individuals,  but  are  possessed  by  the  whole 
family  to  which  they  belong.  The  predatory  nature  of  the 
animals  suggests  the  additional  thought  that  the  Chaldeans 
are  fierce  and  rapacious  marauders. 


54  A   COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

g.  Its  all  shall  come  for  violence^  the  desire  of  their  faces 
IS  forward^  and  it  shall  gather  the  captivity  like  sand.  "Its 
all,  (they  all)  shall  come,"  &c.  The  singular  form  of  the 
word  "all"  expresses  the  totality  of  the  nation  better  than  a 
plural  would  do.  (Delitzsch.)  Calvin  thinks  that  the 
phrase,  "come  for  the  prey"  implies  that  they  would  have 
no  trouble  or  labor,  for  they  would  be  victorious  before 
they  had  any  contest.  The  cruel  rapacity  of  the  Chaldeans, 
which  was  already  suggested  by  the  character  of  the  ani- 
mals to  which  they  are  compared  in  verse  8,  is  here  defin- 
itely expressed.  The  whole  available  force  of  the  nation 
shall  be  engaged  in  the  invasion  of  Judah,  and  be  irresis- 
tably  victorious.  On  the  word  "violence,"  see  verse  2.  "The 
desire  of  their  faces,  "  &c.  This  clause  in  Hebrew  consists 
of  three  words,  of  which  the  first  and  the  last  are  very 
variously  interpreted.  The  first  w^ord  occurs  nowhere  else, 
and  the  last  is  rendered  by  some,  "forward  towards  that 
which  is  in  front;"  by  others  "eastward"  (Dutch  Anno,  and 
West.  Anno.);  and  by  others  "an  east  wind."  The  significa- 
tion "eastward"  is  adopted  by  Abarbanel,  who  thinks  the 
passage  refers  to  the  return  of  the  Chaldean  army  loaded 
with  the  spoils  of  Judah;  and  also  by  Hitzig  and  others,  who 
explain  it  by  supposing  an  eastward  march  of  their  army 
after  entering  the  Jewish  territory  near  the  Mediterranean. 
Their  interpretations,  however,  do  not  agree  with  the  scope 
of  the  passage,  and  probable  route  of  the  army.  The  sig- 
nification "eastward"  is  well  suited  to  the  context,  but  it 
never  has  this  meaning  unless  the  word  "wind"  is  added 
in  the  original,  and  this  is  wanting  here.  The  first  word  in 
this  clause  is  rendered  first,  "desire,"  secondly,  "gathering 
host,  or  troop,"  thirdly,  "aspect^  or  direction,"  fourthly,  "ab- 
sorption, or  supping  up."  We  prefer  the  first,  because  it 
expresses  the  idea  common  to  several  of  the  renderings,  and 
corresponds  to  the  signification  of  the  similar  Arabic  verb. 
The  clause  then  expresses  the  sentiment  that  the  faces  of 
the  Chaldeans  glow  with  a  longing  desire  to  possess  and  en- 


PROPHECY   OF    HABAKKUK.  55 

joy  the  booty  which  was  just  in  front  ot  them.  "And  it 
shall  gather  the  captivity,"  &c.  The  captivity  means  the 
captives.  These  should  be  as  numerous  as  the  sand;  and 
perhaps  the  figure  also  implies  that  they  should  be  gathered 
with  as  little  resistance  as  sand. 

10.  And  this  {people)  shall  scoff  at  kings^  and  princes 
shall  be  a  derision  nnto  it.  It  shall  deride  every  fortress^ 
and  it  will  heap  np  earth  and  take  it.  The  people  described 
in  the  foregoing  context,  the  Chaldeans,  shall  look  with 
contempt  upon  all  that  oppose  it,  however  high  in  station 
and  mighty  in  resources.  "This"  reters  not  only  to  the 
kings  and  nobles  of  the  Jews,  but  those  of  all  nations 
whither  the  Chaldeans  may  set  their  faces.  "Derision"  is 
used  here  to  express  an  object  of  derision.  "He  shall  deride," 
&c.  His  military  skill  shall  be  so  superior  to  that  of  other 
nations,  that  he  shall  regard  every  attempt  at  seli-defence 
as  worthy  only  of  mockery. — "And  it  will  heap  up,"  &c. 
This  mode  of  assault  was  also  practised  by  the  Romans.  A 
mound  of  earth  (Latin,  agger ^  was  raised  before  the  walls 
of  a  besieged  city,  on  which  the  battering  engines  were 
erected.  It  was  gradually  extended  toward  the  walls, 
through  the  addition  of  new  materials,  and  when  a  break 
was  made  in  the  walls,  it  formed  a  path  for  the  entrance  of 
the  besieging  army.  The  instruments  which  God  employs 
for  the  execution  of  His  purposes  are  irresistible. 

11.  Then  it  has  chajiged  spirit^  and  transgressed^  and  be- 
come guilty.  This  his  power  is  for  his  god.  Many  inter- 
pretations have  been  made  of  the  first  clause,  of  which  the 
tollowing  specimens  are  given :  "then  shall  his  mind 
change,"  (Auth.  Vers.);  "then  shall  he  sweep  by  as  a  wind," 
(Revised  Vers.);  "then  his  spirit  reviveth,  or  renews  itself," 
(Gesenius);  "then  its  courage  becomes  young  again,  or 
grows;"  "then  he  shall  pass  along  as  a  wind,"  (Keil);  "dann 
fahrt  es  dahin  ein  Sturm,"  (De  Wette);  "then  it  gaineth 
fresh  spirit,"  (Henderson);  Isaiah  24:  5,  "because  they 
have  transgressed  the  laws,  then  its  spirit  revives,"  (SchafF). 


56  A    COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

The  word  ''then"  in  the  beginning  of  this  verse  may  in- 
dicate a  point  of  either  time  or  space.  Keil  prefers  the 
latter,  but  most  interpreters  think  it  designates  the  point  of 
time  at  which  a  change  occurs  in  the  affairs  of  the  Chal- 
deans, after  executing  the  will  of  Jehovah  upon  the  sur- 
rounding nations  and  having  attained  supremacy  among 
them.  The  nation  has  changed  its  spirit.  It  has  become 
proud  and  self-confident.  Once,  under  Assyrian  control,  it 
became  independent  and  self-reliant,  but  in  consequence  of 
its  long-continued  and  unvarying  prosperity,  independence 
and  self-reliance  became  self-worship.  iVfter  the  conquest 
of  Judah,  it  engaged  but  seldom  in  foreign  wars.  The  verbs 
of  the  second  and  third  clauses  describe  the  consequences  of 
this  change  of  spirit.  It  transgresses  the  allotted  bounds 
and  becomes  guilty.  This  word  "transgress"  in  the  orig- 
inal combines  the  ideas  ot  sin  and  punishment,  and  these 
two  are  so  intimately  connected  in  the  divine  government, 
that  they  cannot  be  dissociated.  Sin  and  guilt  are  here 
closely  connected  in  the  language  of  the  Lord,  and  guilt  is 
liability  to  punishment.  "This  his  power  is  for  his  god." 
Its  power  has  now  become  its  god,  the  very  might  which 
it  has  received  from  Jehovah  as  a  talent  to  be  employed  in 
His  service,  has  been  adopted  and  worshipped  as  its  god. 
The  prophet  seizes  upon  this  fact  and  urges  it  powerfully, 
in  the  following  appeal  to  Jehovah,  see  verses  15-17.  The 
truth  of  this  prophecy  is  finely  illustrated  in  the  history  of 
Nebuchadnezzar,  who  may  be  regarded  as  the  representative 
man  and  monarch  of  the  Chaldean  race.  Glorying  in  the 
strength  of  his  own  arm,  he  says  :  "Is  not  this  great  Baby- 
lon," &c.  His  sin  is  immediately  punished  by  the  God 
whose  prerogatives  he  has  assumed.  It  is  also  illustrated  in 
the  history  of  Belshazzar,  the  last  in  the  line  of  the  Chaldean 
kings,  who  closes  his  reign  and  passes  beyond  his  allotted 
bounds  by  a  public  insult  to  the  God  of  Israel.  Daniel  5. 

DOCTRINES. 

I.    The  supremesovereignty  of  Jehovah,  vs.  5-1 1;  Ex.  20: 3. 


PROPHECY   OF   HABAKKUK.  57 

2.  So  long  as  the  wicked  remain  within  bounds,  God 
may  use  them  as  His  instruments,  but  when  they  exalt 
themselves  against  Him,  they  become  the  objects  of  His 
wrath. 

3.  The  means  which  God  employs  are  always  sufficient 
to  accomplish  the  end  He  desires,  and  they  are  often  at 
work  while  their  operation  is  concealed  from  the  minds  of 
men,  verses  5-10. 

4.  Prosperity  begets  pride;  pride  induces  the  heart  in 
which  it  is  found  to  set  the  object  of  its  pride  in  the  place 
of  God,  and  worship  it  as  God. 

i:  12-17.  In  this  paragraph,  the  prophet  expresses  his 
assurance  that  God  would  raise  up  the  Chaldeans  for  the 
chastisement,  and  not  for  the  destruction,  of  His  people, 
because  the  Chaldeans  were  less  deserving  of  His  favors 
than  the  Jews.  Jehovah  is  the  covenant  God  of  the  Jews, 
who  will  give  life  to  His  own  people,  and  use  the  Chaldeans 
for  purposes  of  chastisement.  He  is  too  holy,  and  sympa- 
thizes too  closely  with  His  people  to  send  needless  trouble 
upon  them.  Yet  Jehovah  will  treat  His  people  as  irrational 
animals  which  become  an  easy  prey  to  their  pursuers.  But 
the  Chaldeans  conquer  nations  as  the  fisherman  gathers  fish. 
They  then  offer  to  their  implements  of  warfare  divine 
honors.  Will  then  Jehovah  permit  them  forever  to  con- 
tinue in  their  selfish  and  wicked  course  ? 

12.  Art  thou  notfrorn  eternity^  Jehovah  f  My  God^  7ny  Holy 
one^  we  shall  7iot  die  ^Jehovah!  for  judgment  hast  thou  set  him; 
and  Rock  !  for  chastisement  hast  thou  ordained  him.  Awed 
by  the  fearful  description  of  the  nation  that  should  be  em- 
ployed by  Jehovah  in  the  vindication  ot  His  own  honor, 
and  conscious  of  the  helplessness  ofhimselfand  of  his  people, 
the  prophet  pronounces  his  belief  that  though  he  and  his 
people  may  be  chastised,  they  will  not  be  destroyed.  The 
grounds  ol  his  confidence  are  expressed  both  in  his 
mode  of  address,  and  in  his  plea,  "Art  thou  not  from  eter- 
nity."    The  signification  of  the  word  "Jehovah,"  has  already 


58  A   COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

been  given,  verse  2.  The  Hebrew  word  Elohim  describes 
God  as  the  supreme  object  of  worship.  In  turning  away 
from  the  god  of  the  Chaldeans  mentioned  in  verse  1 1 ,  and 
in  addressing  Jehovah  as  his  God,  the  prophet  appeals  to 
the  relation  existing  between  God  and  His  worshippers, 
which  makes  it  right  and  appropriate  for  Him  to  favor 
them.  The  expression  "my  Holy  One"  describes  Jehovah 
as  a  Being  of  spotless  purity.  This  attribute  renders  it  cer- 
tain that  He  will  deal  kindly  with  those  in  whom  His  own 
holy  image  has  been  created,  and  will  punish  their  enemies 
and  His  because  they  are  unholy.  The  prophet'^  argument 
consists  in  an  appeal  to  the  eternity  of  Jehovah.  If  He  be 
eternal,  then  He  is  also  the  only  living  and  unchangeable 
God,  of  Whom  are  all  things,  and  Who  is  especially  the 
Giver  of  life.  From  these  premises  the  prophet  draws  the 
conclusion  "we  shall  not  die."  The  scribes  say  that  this  is 
one  of  eighteen  passages  in  the  Old  Testament,  in  which 
Ezra  and  his  colleagues  corrected  the  ancient  text.  The 
alteration  here  is  alleged  to  be  from  "thou  shalt  not  die"  to 
"we  shall  not  die."  The  change  however  is  altogether  im- 
probable. The  prophet  appropriately  describes  the  expected 
blessing  as  one  that  belongs  to  the  people  whom  he  rep- 
resents, and  this  accounts  for  the  fact  that  the  verb  in  this 
clause  is  in  the  plural  number.  A  God  like  Jehovah  will 
not  destroy  His  own  covenant,  His  own  saints.  Many  in- 
terpreters, instead  of  making  "Jehovah"  a  vocative,  make 
the  word  predicate  of  the  sentence,  and  read  it:  "Art  thou 
not  from  eternity  Jehovah?"  Either  version  suits  the  con- 
nection well.  The  prophet,  after  asserting  his  expectation 
that  he  and  his  people  shall  not  die,  describes  the  Chal- 
deans as  ordained  for  the  accomplishment  of  a  particular 
purpose.  "Thou  hast  made  them  what  they  are,  and  ap- 
pointed them  to  be  a  scourge,  in  order  that  the  demands  of 
justice  may  be  satisfied,  and  thy  people  chastised  for  their 
sins."  Chastisement,  however,  does  not  imply  their  des- 
truction.    Jehovah  is  called  a   "Rock,"   because  He  is   the 


PROPHECY   OF   HABAKKUK.  59 

refuge  and  defence  of  His  people,  being  eternal,  immutable 
and  almighty.  Jehovah  is  the  God  who  makes  all  things 
work  together  for  the  good  of  His  people  and  the  punish- 
ment of  His  enemies.  The  afilictions  of  His  people  are 
temporal  chastisements,  not  eternal  punishments.  Jehovah 
possesses  such  attributes  as  fit  Him  both  for  blessing  His 
people  and  punishing  His  enemies. 

I  J.      Thou  art  of  purer  eyes  than  to  look  upon  evil^  and  to 
behold  trouble  thou  zvilt  not  be  able.      Wherefore  wilt  thou  be- 
hold spoilers  ?     Wilt  thou  keep  silence^  while  the  wicked  swal- 
lows tip  him  that  is  7nore  righteous  than  he  ?     God,  who  is  a 
Spirit,  is  described  as  possessing  the  members  of  the  human 
body,  in  order  to  aid  us  in  our  conception  of  His  character. 
As  we  instinctively  avert  our  eyes  from  that  which  is  hate- 
ful, so  the  holiness  of  God  is  opposed  to  that  which  is  sin- 
ful, and  His  mercy  to  undeserved  trouble.     The   words  "to 
behold  trouble"  are  used  precisely  as  in  verse  3,   to  express 
the    thought   that  Jehovah  cannot  look  with   indifference 
upon  the  troubles  of  His  people,  even  when  they  have  been 
occasioned  by  their  own  sin.     Sin  and  trouble  are  always 
closely  connected  in  the  government  of  God.    Since  God  pos- 
sesses so  pure  eyes,  the  question  is  asked,  why  wilt  Thou  be  a 
careless  spectator,  while  the  marauding  Chaldeans  are  laying 
waste  the  earth?     Why  be  silent  and   unconcerned,  while 
the  wicked  Chaldeans  are  destroying  the  Jews  among  whom 
are  the  only  righteous  ones  of  earth,  and  who  as  a  nation 
are  more  righteous  than  the  Chaldeans?  The  same  attributes 
ot  God  which  call   for  the  punishment  of  His   people,  as 
the  prophet  has  already  declared  in  verse  3,   demand  more 
imperatively  the  punishment  of  the  Chaldeans,  because  they 
would  be  greater  sinners  and  occasion  greater  trouble  than 
the  Israelites. 

14.  And  make  man  as  the  fishes  of  the  sea^  as  the  creeping 
things  over  which  there  is  no  ruler  ?  The  vav  conversive  at 
the  beginning  of  this  verse  connects  it  with  the  latter  clauses 
of  the  preceding  verse,  so  that  it  continues   the  description 


6o  A   COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

of  Jehovah's  threatened  treatment  of  the  Israelitish  people. 
The  prophet  pleads  that  the  predicted  punishment  is  incon- 
sistent with  the  true  nature  of  man,  whom  God  made  in  His 
own  image.  By  abandoning  men  to  Chaldean  oppression, 
and  not  interfering  to  prevent  it.  Thou,  Jehovah,  wilt  de- 
grade them  to  the  position  of  the  irrational  inhabitants  ot 
the  sea,  who  have  no  protector,  and  consequently  fall  an 
easy  prey  to  their  pursuers.  The  creeping  things  are  those 
animals  whose  home  is  in  the  sea,  Ps.  104:  25;  Ps.  69:  34. 
God  is  here  said  to  do  what  He  permits  to  be  done. 

75.  Its  all  has  lijted  7ip  with  hook;  it  will  catch  him  with 
its  net^  and  gather  them  with  its  seine;  therefore  will  it  re- 
joice and  exult.  In  the  preceding  verses,  the  work  of  Jeho- 
vah has  been  described,  in  verses  12-14,  and  now  the  Chal- 
dean nation  is  presented  as  fulfilling  His  purpose.  The 
verb  of  the  first  clause  is  a  preterite,  and  expresses  what 
Jehovah  has  done  and  is  now  doing  through  Chaldean 
agency.  In  the  days  of  Manasseh  Judah  had  been  con- 
quered by  them,  and  Manasseh  carried  a  prisoner  to  Baby- 
lon. Other  conquests  had  been  made,  with  apparently  as 
much  ease  as  the  fish  is  drawn  from  the  water  by  the  hook. 
The  phrase  "its  all"  is  used  exactly  as  in  verse  9,  to  de- 
scribe the  whole  Chaldean  nation  with  its  skillful  leaders,  its 
mighty  armies,  and  its  immense  resources.  That  which 
had  been  done  by  them  at  the  point  of  time  indicated  by 
the  first  clause  should  be  surpassed  in  time  to  come.  The 
verbs  ot  the  second  and  third  clauses  are  in  the  future  tense, 
and  both  verbs  and  nouns  express  the  idea  of  progress,  both 
in  the  instruments  and  success  of  their  military  expeditions. 
They  who  have  raised  fish  with  the  hook,  shall  do  more 
and  greater  things  with  their  gradually  increasing  ability. 
In  so  doing  they  shall  treat  Israel  especially  as  irrational 
creatures,  and  of  this  fact  the  prophet  desires  to  complain 
to  Jehovah.  Their  efibrts  are  so  successful  that  they  rejoice 
and  exult  over  their  victories,  their  spoils,  their  captives, 
and  their  supremacy.     In  the  mean  time  Judah  shall  lie 


PROPHECY   OF   HABAKKUK.  6 I 

helpless  at  their  mercy.  God  never  fails  to  provide  suitable 
and  efficient  means  for  the  accomplishment  of  His  ends. 

1 6.  Wherefore  it  will  sacrifice  to  its  net^  mid  burn  in- 
cense to  its  seine ^  for  by  the77i  its  portion  is  fat^  and  its  food 
is  fatteyied  7neat.  The  result  of  their  military  operations 
was  abundant  prosperity,  which  is  represented  here  by  a 
large  supply  of  food.  In  consequence  of  their  success  the 
Chaldeans  will  pay  divine  honor  to  the  two  instruments 
which  contributed  most  to  their  prosperity,  and  were  the 
appropriate  emblems  of  their  power.  They  would  thus 
prove  themselves  to  be  idolaters  imworthy  of  the  favor  ot 
the  only  true  God.  Rosenmueller  thinks  the  passage  may  be 
illustrated  by  reference  to  the  ancient  custom  of  worshiping 
those  pieces  of  offensive  armor  by  which  victory  had  been 
gained.  He  quotes  Justin  43:  3,  who  says  "from  the  very 
origin  oi  history  the  ancients  worshipped  spears  as  immortal 
gods,  in  memory  of  which,  spears  are  to  this  day  added  to 
the  images  of  the  gods."  Lucian  in  Tragoediae  says:  "The 
Scythians  indeed  sacrifice  to  their  scimitars."  Arnovius  ad 
gentes,  6,  preserves  the  tradition  that  in  ancient  times  the 
nations  of  Scythia  worshipped  the  scimitar.  Ammianus 
Marcellinus,  17:  12,  and  Schaff,  (Herodotus,  4:  59:  62,)  state 
that  the  Sarmatians  were  accustomed  to  offer  annually  a  sac- 
rifice to  a  sabre  set  up  as  a  representative  of  Man.  We  have, 
however,  no  certain  proof  that  the  custom  prevailed  among 
the  Chaldeans.  The  passage  is  probably  designed  to  ex- 
press the  same  thought  as  the  last  clause  of  verse  11,  that 
is,  he  has  no  god  but  his  own  power. 

I  J.  Shall  it  therefore  empty  its  net^  and  continually  spare 
not  to  destroy  the  nations?  Having  thus  described  the 
Chaldeans  as  a  selfish  and  wicked  conqueror,  the  prophet 
asks  whether  God  will  permit  the  Chaldeans  to  go  on  in 
this  course  continually.  To  "empty  the  net"  signifies  to 
gather  in  the  spoils  of  conquest,  and  at  the  same  time  pre- 
pare for  further  acquisitions.  Some  interpreters  think 
there   is   a   reference  to  the  Chaldean  custom  of  removing 


62  A   COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

the  captive  nations  from  their  own  homes,  and  transplant- 
ing them  to  some  other  portion  of  the  Chaldean  empire. 
This,  however,  would  limit  the  meaning  of  the  expression 
too  narrowly.  The  question  implies  a  negative  answer. 
God  may  use  the  wicked  as  His  instrument  for  a  while,  yet 
His  character  renders  it  impossible  that  they  should  long 
remain  unpunished. 


CHAPTER  n. 

I.  The  author  declares  his  purpose  to  place  himself 
where  he  can  hear  the  voice  of  Jehovah,  and  offer  his  reply. 
2.  Jehovah  bids  the  prophet  write  his  vision  in  a  per- 
manent form,  put  it  in  a  prominent  place,  and  depend  upon 
its  fulfillment.  3.  This  will  be  in  its  appointed  time; 
it  will  be  complete  and  speedy.  4.  Jehovah  describes  the 
Chaldean  as  proud  and  fierce.  Obedience  to  the  law  of  the 
Lord  will  alone  secure  righteousness.  5.  He  is  a  drunk- 
ard, proud  and  insatiable,  gathering  all  nations  to  himself. 
6.  The  spoiler  shall  be  spoiled  himself;  the  conquered  na- 
tions shall  utter  a  song.  The  song  is  continued  through 
the  rest  of  the  chapter  in  five  strophes,  each  of  which  con- 
tains three  verses.^)  The  first  (vs.  6-8,)  describes  the  Chal^ 
dean  as  a  covetous  m'iser,  whose  burden  is  worthless.  The 
result  shall  be  spoiling  and  oppression.  The  cause  will  be 
his  bloodguiltiness  and  his  violence  everywhere.  The 
second  strophe  (vs.  9-1 1,)  designates  him  as  an  avaricious 
conqueror.  The  results  of  his  conduct  are  shame  and 
guilt.  The  reason  for  this  is  that  the  conquered  and  helpless 
will  cry  out  for  justice.  The  third  strophe  (vs.  12-14,)  rep- 
resents the  Chaldean  as  a  builder  of  a  city  in  blood  and  in- 
iquity. The  Lord's  interposition  shall  render  his  labors 
useless,  because  the  Lord  designs  to  fill  the  earth  with  His 
own  glory.     The  fourth  strophe  (vs.    15-17,)  describes  the 


PROPHECY   OF   HABAKKUK.  63 

Chaldean  as  one  who  giveth  his  neighbor  drink,  that  he 
may  gratify  himsdf  ,^vvith  his  shame.  The  result  shall  be 
the  cup  of  Jehovi-c's  wrath.  The  reason  is  the  blood- 
guilt,  which  was  tte  evidence  of  their  wickedness.  The 
fifth  strophe  (vs.  18^0,)  describes  the  Chaldean  as  an  idol- 
ater, whose  idol  is  not  profited  by  the  skill  of  its  maker. 
Even  when  overlaid  with  gold  or  silver  it  is  useless  as  a 
teacher,  and  the  prophet  contrasts  with  it  the  fact  that  there 
is  only  one  Jehovah,  the  true  God,  who  is  in  the  temple  of 
His  holiness. 

./.  On  my  watch  let  me  stand ^  ajtd  let  me  station  myselj 
upon  a  tower ^  and  I  zvill  look  oiU  to  see  what  he  [Jehovah) 
will  speak  in  nie^  and  what  {reply)  I  shall  return  upon  my 
complaint.  The  prophet  expresses  his  earnest  desire  for  an 
answer  to  his  complaint,  and  having  laid  his  complaint  be- 
fore Jehovah,  the  prophet  reverently  assumes  the  attitude 
of  earnest  expectation  that  he  may  learn  the  will  of  God. 
The  intensity  of  his  desire  is  expressed  even  in  the  para- 
gogic  form  of  the  verb.  It  is  not  necessary  to  assume  that 
he  refers  to  any  definite  locality  or  particular  tower,  where 
he  will  watch.  He  desires  to  say  that  he  will  take  the  pos- 
ition of  earnest  expectation,  so  that,  like  the  sentinel  on 
his  outpost,  or  the  watchman  on  his  tower,  he  may  obtain 
the  earliest  and  clearest  information  respecting  the  object  of 
his  solicitude,  and  then,  like  sentinel  and  watchman,  inform 
his  waiting  bj^thren.  "I  will  look  out  to  see."  The 
verb  trans!at^J'look-oit,"  is  the  root  of  the  noun  meaning 
"watchman,"  anf  "watch-tower."  "What  he  (Jehovah) 
will  speak  in  me."  Others  translate,  "speak  to  me,"  but 
the  version  given  above  retains  the  usual  form  of  the  He- 
brew preposition,  and  presents  the  additional  thought  that 
what  he  expected  was  an  internal  communication  of  the 
will  of  Jehovah,  an  inspiration.  Similar  examples  of  the  use  of 
thephrase  may  be  found  in  II  Sam.  23:  2;  Num.  12:  6;  Zech. 
i:  9,  13,  14;  2:  2,  7;  4:  I,  4,  5;  5:  5,  10;  6,  4.  The  prophets 
sometimes  represented  the  people  by  presenting  their   com- 


64  A   COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

plaints  to  God,  and  sometimes  were  Jehovah's  organ  of 
communication  to  them.  Here  he  asks  what  reply  he,  as 
the  organ  of  Jehovah,  shall  make^to  lEe  people  wliom  li£ 
hasjrepresented  in  his  complaint  The  word  "complaint" 
may  also  be  rendered  "argument"  or  "reproot".  He  refers 
in  it  to  what  he  has  said  inCi:  i2-if)  God  is  our  refuge. 
Though  an  host  encamp  against  us,  we  may  still  find  some 
sentinel-post  or  watch-tower  where  we  may  wait  tor  Him. 
When  we  wait  on  Him,  He  will  communicate  with  us. 
When  He  has  spoken  in  us,  we,  and  especially  the  ministry, 
should  tell  others  what  God  has  revealed  to  us. 

2.  And  Jehovah  answered  me  and  said^  write  a  vision  ana 
inscribe  it  upon  the  tablets^  so  that  he  may  run  (the  one)  read- 
ing in  it.  Jehovah  replies  directing  the  prophet  to  record  the 
coming  vision  and  informing  him  how  and  why  this  should  be 
done.  By  his  answer  he  fulfilled  the  expectation  of  the  prophet, 
to  whom  a  vision  would  be  granted,  of  which  he  should 
make  a  permanent  record,  for  a  reason  assigned  in  verse  3. 
This  vision  is  contained  in  \fe.  4-20,  and  as  it  is  yet  indefinite 
and  unrevealed  it  is  called  a  and  not_(^^  vision.  That  which 
the  prophet  in  verse  i  had  described  by  the  words,  "what 
he  shall  speak  in  me,"  is  here  called  a  vision,  to  indicate  it 
as  a  divine  revelation  supernaturally  perceived.  "And  inscribe 
it  upon  the  tablets."  This  clause  may  either  be  regarded  as 
explanatory  ol  the  preceding  one,  or  as  prescribing  an  addi- 
tional method  of  securing  its  preservation,  viz.,  by  giving  it 
publicity.  By  tablets  are  meant  the  smooth  surfaces  of 
brass,  stone,  wood  either  bare  or  covered  with  wax,  plas- 
ter, &c.,  upon  which  inscriptions  intended  for  the  public 
were  writteru__  This  method  of  preservation,  as  the  most  re- 
cent excavations  prove,  was  well  known  in  the  ancient  east. 
In  an  excavation  at  Kouyunjik,  the  workman  come  upon  a 
chamberful  of  tablets  of  terra  cotta,  with  inscriptions  in  per- 
fect preservation  piled  in  heaps  from  the  floor  to  the  ceiling. 
The  presence  of  the  definite  article  before  the  word  "tablets" 
points  the  prophet  to  those  particular  ones  which  he  would 


PROPHECY   OF   HABAKKUK.  6^ 

immediately  recognize  as  intended  to  be  used  for  the  pur- 
pose. We  can  say  nothing  with  certainty  respecting  the 
material  or  composition  of  these  tablets.  We  know  that  they 
must  have  been  in  such  places  as  would  attract  attention. 
The  mention  of  more  than  one  tablet  may  arise  from  the 
fact  that  since  the  vision  must  be  written  in  large  and  dis- 
tinctly legible  characters,  more  than  one  would  be  needed  to 
contain  it  all.  But  more  probably  the  plural  refers  to  sev- 
eral tablets  in  different  positions,  on  each  of  which  was  a 
copy  of  the  vision.  The  vision  must  be  written  in  large 
plain  letters,  so  that  one  might  run  beside  it  and  still  read. 

J,  ''''For  the  vision  is  yet  for  the  appointed  time^  and  it 
shall  pant  for  the  end  and  not  he.  Though  it  delay  ^  wait  for 
it.  For  it  shall  certainly  cofne  and  not  tarry.^''  The  definite 
article  is  wanting  before  the  word  "vision"  in  the  Hebrew, 
for  the  same  reason  as  in  the  preceding  verse,  though  it  is 
necessary  in  English.  This  verse  assigns  the  reason  for  the 
preservation  of  the  vision  by  the  methods  prescribed  in  verse 
2.     The  reasonJSj_tJmt Jts_^  take  place 

jit  some  future  time.  It  will  be  fulfilled  at  the  time  ap-~ 
pointed  in  the  counsels  of  God.  The  prophecy,  though  its 
tulfilment  is  future,  pantsjfor,  that  is,  rapidly  hastens  on 
tQ.its  consummation  or  end.  It  is  the  word  of  Jehovah  and 
therefore  sure.  His  truth  and  His  power  go  hand  in  hand, 
the  vision  hastens  to  the  end  that  it  may  be  proven  true. 
Many  interpreters  translate  this  clause,  "at  the  end  it  shall 
speak."  This,  however,  does  not  suit  the  context  well,  for  a 
vision_is  not  spoken,  at  Jhee^  Icmg  before  it;  nor  can- 

the  verb  here  be  used  in  the  signification  of  proving  itsell 
true,  which  is  entirely  foreign  to  it:  "It  shall  be  entirely 
fulfilled;  though  its  accomplishment  seems  to  be  delayed  be- 
yond your  expectations,  yet  wait  for  it."  Its  fulfillment  is 
certain  and  will  not  be  delayed  beyond  the  time  prescribed 
by  Jehovah.  The  prophet  refers  not  to  the  second  coming 
of  Christ,  (Pusey,)  but  to  the  coming  ot  the  Chaldeans. 

/.     ''''Behold /  Puffed  up^  not  right ^  is  his  soul  in  hini^  and 


66  A    COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

the  righteous  by  his  faith  shall  live^  ^^^^hold'^  directs  the 
earnest  attention  of  the  reader  to  his  following  thought.  By 
some  interpreters  the  whole  of  the  verse  is  referred  to  the 
Jews,  while  others  refer  the  first  clause  to  the  Chaldeans,  and 
the  second  to  the  Jews.  We  prefer  the  latter  view,  and  think 
that  Jehovah  here  announced  the  general  principles  of  His 
government  in  their  application  to  both  Chaldeans  and 
Jews.  BY__"his  soul  in  him"  is  meant  the  spirit  that  ani- 
mated the  Chaldean  nation,  the  disposition  which  was 
manifested  in  its  history.  This  is  described  first  posi- 
tively, and  then  negatively.  Positively,  it  is  puffed 
up,  swollen,  tumid.  By  some  this  word  is  taken  as  a  noun, 
meaning,  pride,  and  then,  (the  abstract  for  the  concrete,) 
the  proud.  Thus  Hendersen,  who  refers  it  to  the  Jews, 
translates,  "Behold  the  proud."  It  is,  however,  nev^er  else- 
where used  as  a  noun  and  need  not  be  so  taken  here.  Nor 
should  the  verb  be  interpreted,  "to  be  proud." )  It  expresses 
rather  the  idea  of  being  swollen  with  all  evil  passions.  Of 
these  pride  was  but  one.  Others  have  been  already  men- 
tioned in  the  description  of  the  Chaldeans  in  the  preceding- 
chapter.  _  Negatively,  their  spirit  is  described  as  not  right, 
not  straight,  not  level.  It  is  not  what  it  ought  to 
be,  not  being  conformed  to  the  rule  of  rectitude.  This  dec- 
laration froin  the  niouth  of  the  Sovereign  and  Judge  of  all 
the  earth,  is  tantamouiit  to  a  judicial  sentence  of  death,  be- 
^cause  sin  must  be  punished^  This  is  suggested,  too,  by  the 
next  clause,  where  the  opposite  character  and  fate  are  pre- 
sented to  view.  "The  righteous  by  his  faith  shall  live." 
•^  A  righteous  man  is  one  who  has  been  justified,  one  whom 
God  regards  and  treats  as  righteous.  He  is  righteous 
whose  sins  are  pardoned,  and  to  whom  the  righteousness  of 
Christ  is  imputed  unto  justification.  In  the  heart  of  a 
righteous  man,  the  work  of  sanctification  has  commenced, 
so  that  the  righteous  are  also  the  holy.  It  is  therefore  in 
strong  contrast  to  the  character  portrayed  in  the  preceding 
clause.     The    words  "by  his  faith,"  are  connected  by   the 


PROPHECY   OF   HABAKKUK.  67 

punctuation  of  the  modern  Hebrew  Bible,  with  the  word 
* 'righteous."  Thus  the  righteous  by  faith  shall  live.  In 
some  of  the  older  editions,  they  are  connected  with  the 
word  ''live,"  thus  "the  righteous  shall  live  by  his  faith." 
The  difference  in  the  sense  is  readily  seen.  The  same 
difference  is  noticed  in  the  quotations  of  this  clause  in  the 
New  Testament, ^Rom.  i:  t7>,  Heb.  10:3^  Gal.  ^:  Ii.-^  The 
connection  with  "righteous,"  as  indicated  by  the  Hebrew 
points,  is  preferable  here.  Faith  or  trust  in  the  word  of 
God  is  thus  indicated  as  the  means  through  which  a  sinner 
becomes  righteous.  JPo_.all_ihe  -righteous,  life-is.,  promised. 
This  is  the  sum  of  all  good  things.  To  live,  is  to  enjoy  the 
favor  of  God,  which  is  life,  and  His  loving-kindness,  which 
is  better  than  life.  The  general  principle  here  announced, 
while  it  is  true  for  all  people  and  all  times,  is  intended  to 
apply  specifically  to  the  Jews,  among  whom  the  only 
righteous  men  on  earth  were  to  be  found,  and  which  had 
therefore  the  strongest  claim  among  the  nations  of  the 
earth  to  be  called  a  "righteous  nation."  Nations  must  be 
rewarded  and  punished  according  to  their  deeds.  Without 
faith  there  is  no  righteousness,  and  without  righteousness 
no  life. 

5.     A7id  moreover^  because  the  wine  is  a  robber^  a  mighty 
one^  is   arrogant^    and  will  not   dwell  at   home^    who   has 
widened  as  the  grave  his  soul^  and  he  is  as   death  ^   and  will 
not  be  satiated^  and  he  has  collected  all  nations  nnto  him^  and  has 
gathered  unto  hijn  all  the  peoples.    jThe  general   description 
of  the  wickedness  of  the  Chaldeans  in  verse  4,  is  here  made 
iriorespecifi.c^_ Jehovah  points  out   one  prevailing  sin,  and 
exhibits    its   effects    on    the    character  and  conduct  of  the 
nations.     His  description  in  this  verse  bears  a  special  rela- 
tion to  the  complaint  of  the.  prophet,  i:    12-17,  and  to  the 
thoughts  and   langua^  of  1:13.  ..^he    whole  tenor  of  the 
.verse  shows  that  the  relation  between  ...the  first  clause  and 
^the  others  is  that  of  cause  and  effect,     ^ine  stands  for  the 
intemperate  use  of  intoxicating  liquors,  which  is  declared  by 


68  A   COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

both  sacred  and  profane  historians  to  have  been  a  national 
vice  among  the  Chaldeans,  Dan.  5;  Herodotus  i:  191;  Xen- 
ophon's  Cyropsedia,  7:  5:  15;  Curtius,  i:  5:  i.  As  in 
Proverbs,  wine  is  called  a  mocker,  because  it  causes  men  to 
mock,  so  it  is  here  called  a  robber,  because  it  incited  the 
Chaldeans  to  plunder,  and  thus  made  them  what  the  prophet 
declared  them  to  be,  i:  13.  The  noun  translated  "mighty 
one,"  is  derived  from  a  root  signifying  ''to  be  strong."  It 
is  sometimes  used  to  denote  man  in  general,  as  the  pos- 
sessor of  strength.  It  is  here  employed  without  the  article, 
like  a  proper  name,  to  designate  the  Chaldeans  as  a  power- 
ful people.  It  is  contrasted  here  with  ish^  the  ordinary 
term  for  man  employed  by  the  prophet,  i:  13,  as  descrip- 
tive of  the  Jewish  nation.  That  which  is  true  of  the 
nation  is  also  true  of  those  individuals  who  may  be  regarded 
as  the  representatives  of  the  nation,  such  as  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, under  whom  most  of  the  Chaldean  conquests  were 
gained,  and  who  may  be  considered  the  impersonation  of 
the  Chaldean  character  and  power.  This  mighty  people, 
excited  by  wine,  "is  arrogant,"  i.  e.,  haughty,  self-willed, 
and  selfish.  "And  will  not  dwell  at  home."  They  are 
restless,  impatient  of  the  ease  and  tranquillity  of  home. 
J  "Who  has  widened  as  the  grave  his  soul."  The  soul  stands 
^for  the  desires  entertained  by  the  nation.  It  is  as  greedy  of 
conquest  and  the  gains  accruing  from  it,  as  the  grave  is  of 
its  prey.  By  some  lexicographers,  the  word  Sheol  here 
translated  "the  grave,"  is  derived  from  a  root  signifying  "to 
ask,  to  crave,"  and  by  others,  from  a  root  signitying  "to  be 
hollow."  With  the  latter  derivation  it  corresponds  very 
^closely  with  the  German  "Holle,"  from  the  older  form 
"Hohle,"  and  also  with  the  old  English,  "Hell,"  by  which  it 
is  usually  rendered  in  the  English  version.  The  figure 
presented  in  the  words  is  that  of  a  vast  subterranean 
cavern  or  residence,  into  which  each  individual  grave  af- 
fords an  inlet.  It  is  the  abode  of  the  departed,  and  only 
means  the  place  of  punishment   when  limited  to  it  by  the 


PROPHECY   OF    HABAKKUK.  69 

c 

context.  It  answers  exactly  to  our  term  I'the  grave,'^  as 
used  in  such  phases  as  "to  go  to  the  grave,"  "a  voice  from 
the  grave."  Like  some  huge  monster,  the  grave  devours 
the  nations.  So  the  Chaldean  opens  wide  his  jaws  to  devour 
the  nations.  "And  he  is  as  death,  and  will  not  be  satiated." 
They  are  grasping,  remorseless,  and  unavoidable.  Their  de- 
mands are  insatiable.  "And  he  has  collected  all  nations 
unto  him,"  &c.  He  shall  take  into  his  own  possession  the 
persons  and  property  of  the  captive  nations,  and  deal  with 
them  according  to  his  own  pleasure.  One  portion  of  this 
conduct  was  the  deportation  of  captives  from  their  own 
homes  to  some  other  portion  of  the  Chaldean  territory. 

6.  Shall  not  these  all  of  them  raise  a  song  cojicerning  it 
and  a  taunt ^  sharp  sayings  to  it^  and  shall  say^  Aha !  the  na- 
tion multiplying  (that  which  belongs^  not  to  tt^  how  lo7tg?  and 
loading  2ipon  it  a  mass  of  pledges.  The  nations  conquered 
and  spoiled  by  the  Chaldeans  shall  at  length  witness  the  fall 
of  their  conquerors,  and  join  in  a  song  expressive  of  their 
feelings.  To  "raise  a  song,"  means  both  to  commence  and 
to  utter  aloud.  The  verb  employed  in  this  clause  is  the 
root  of  the  word  translated  "utterance"  in  the  title  of  this 
book,  i:  I.  It  implies  both  a  previous  state  of  silence  un- 
der the  Chaldean  domination,  and  such  a  state  of  excited 
feeling  as  must  find  vent  in  speech.  The  word  translated 
"song"  is  derived  from  a  root  meaning  "to  resemble,  to 
compare,"  and  in  general  is  applied  to  a  figurative  or  alle- 
gorical composition.  It  may  be  translated  according  to  cir- 
cumstances by  the  terms,  "proverb,  enigma,  parable,  alle- 
gory," &c.  It  is  a  poetical  effusion,  and  the  prophet  repre- 
sents it  as  though  it  were  chanted  by  a  full  chorus  ot  the 
captive  nations.  The  word  "song"  is  therefore  a  sufficiently 
expressive  translation  of  the  original.  The  preposition 
"concerning,"  may  be  rendered  "against."  It  points  out  the 
Chaldeans  as  the  subjects  of  the  song,  and  of  course  the  ob- 
jects of  its  denunciations.  This  song  is  described  also  as  a 
"taunt,"  or  a  song  of  derision,  which  is  found  only  here  and 


JO  A    COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

in  Prov.  i:  6.  The  song  consists  of  five  stanzas  or  strophes, 
here  called  "sharp  sayings,"  each  containing  three  verses. 
With  one  exception,  each  of  them,  commences  with  the  in- 
terjection "Aha,"  and  begins  its  closing  verse  with 
"for."  Each  one,  too,  has  its  appropriate  topic.  These 
strophes  are  called  "sharp"  or  "weighty"  sayings.  The 
word  thus  translated  is  applied  to  sayings  that  are  full  of 
meaning  and  worthy  of  earnest  consideration.  They  may 
be  abstruse,  witty,  sarcastic,  or  wise,  according  to  circum- 
stances. Delitzsch  prefers  the  signification  of  "riddle,"  or 
"enigma,"  and  thinks  he  has  discovered  several  terms  in 
which  this  peculiarity  is  supposed  to  be  found.  Among 
these  he  specifies  the  words  translated  "a  mass  of  pledges," 
v.  6;  "those  that  bite  them,"  v.  7.  The  clause  "and  shall 
say,"  is  by  some  interpreted  "men  shall  say,"  by  others,  "it 
shall  be  said,"  but  it  seems  better  to  regard  the  verb,  which 
is  in  the  singular,  as  agreeing  with  the  noun  "all"  in  the 
first  clause.  It  expresses  the  concerted  action  of  the  whole 
body  of  the  nations,  which  is  the  result  of  their  common  ex- 
perience at  the  hands  of  the  Chaldeans.  With  indignation 
they  cry  unitedly  to  God  against  their  oppressors. 

Directed  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  the  voice  of  the  nations  be- 
comes the  voice  of  God,  and  thus  their  very  complaints  are 
prophetic  ol  the  overthrow  of  the  Chaldeans.  The  song  is 
uttered  while  still  under  the  power  of  their  conquerors.  But 
such  an  appeal,  prompted  by  God  Himself,  will  not  be  made 
in  vain.  The  interrogative  form  of  the  sentence  expresses 
the  strongest  possible  affirmation. 

THE  SONG   OF  THE   NATIONS,  VS.    6-20. 

We  now  enter  upon  the  consideration  of  the  song  whose 
peculiarities  have  already  been  described.  In  the  first 
strophe,  the  nations  denounce  the  injustice  and  oppression 
practiced  by  the  Chaldeans,  v.  6;  declare  the  punishment 
which  is  their  due,  v.  7 ;  and  the  reason  why  this  penalty  shall 
be  inflicted,  v.  8. 


PROPHECY   OF   HABAKKUK.  7 1 

Verse  6  (b).  The  interjection  "Aha"  directs  attention  to 
the  Chaldean  nation,  and  expresses  the  indignation  of  the 
nations,  and  their  prophetic  exultation  in  view  of  the  com- 
ing downfall  of  the  oppressor,  who  is  described  as  a  nation 
increasing  its  own  wealth  by  unjustly  wresting  their  pos- 
sessions from  others.  This  is  illustrated  in  the  history  ol 
Nebuchadnezzar,  king  of  Babylon,  II  Kings  24:  10-17;  II 
Chron.  36:  7,  17,  18;  Dan.  i:  2;  5:  23.  The  nations,  in  their 
question  "how  long  ?"  desire  to  learn  how  long  the  Chal- 
deans shall  pursue  this  course  of  conduct  and  enjoy  their 
booty.  The  question  implies  a  belief  that  their  suffering 
will  reach  the  compassion  of  Jehovah,  that  the  period  of 
Chaldean  possession  and  enjoyment  will  not  be  perpetual, 
and  an  earnest  desire  that  it  may  end  soon.  The  Chaldean 
is  represented  in  the  last  clause  as  a  pawnbroker,  who  loads 
himself  with  an  immense  quantity  of  pawns.  The  vocation 
of  a  pawnbroker  or  usurer  was  prohibited  by  the  law  of 
Mose3.  The  property  and  persons  seized  by  the  Chaldean 
are  pledges  borne  away  by  a  usurer,  and  these  form  a  heavy 
burden  upon  his  shoulders.  The  figure  suggests  that  the 
property  he  bears  away  is  not  his  own,  has  been  unjustly 
obtained,  and  must  some  day  be  accounted  for,  while  the 
weight  of  the  burden  may  prove  his  ruin.  Many  of  the 
older  interpreters  regard  the  word  translated  "a  mass  of 
pledges,"  as  a  compound  of  two  words  meaning  "thick 
clay,"  and  suppose  the  signification  of  the  passage  to  be  that 
the  Chaldean,  in  seizing  upon  the  wealth  of  conquered  na- 
tions, has  only  burdened  himself  with  that  which  is  worth- 
less, polluting  and  wearisome.  Delitzsch  regards  this  word 
as  one  of  the  riddles  or  enigmas  already  mentioned  in  this 
verse.  He  thinks  the  original  word  was  designed  to  sug- 
gest both  senses,  "a  mass  of  pledges"  and  "thick  clay." 
This  is  ingenious  but  very  improbable.  Jehovah  often  em- 
ploys nations  to  express  His  will.  Sinners  burden  them- 
selves with  that  which  involves  guilt  and  demands  punish- 
ment.    No  sin  escapes  Jehovah's  notice,  and  punishment. 


72  A   COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

under  His  government,  is  the  natural  and  necessary  result 
of  sin. 

/.  Shall  not  they  that  bite  thee  suddenly  arise  ?  and  shall 
not  they  that  shake  thee  azvake^  and  thou  be  for  spoils  to 
the^n  ?  This  verse  records  the  result  ot  the  oppressive  con- 
duct of  the  Chaldeans,  which  shall  be  followed  by  its  mer- 
ited, appropriate  and  sudden  punishment.  The  interroga- 
tive form  of  the  sentence  implies  an  affirmative  answer,  and 
is  thus  equivalent  to  a  strong  assertion.  The  agents  by  whom 
they  shall  be  punished  are  described  in  the  first  clause  as 
"those  that  bite  thee."  Some  prefer  to  translate  this  term 
"those  that  shall  exact  usury  of  thee,"  and  regard  the  word 
as  employed  with  special  reference  to  the  character  of 
usurer  in  which  they  are  described  in  verse  6.  Delitzsch 
thinks  this  one  of  the  enigmas  mentioned  in  verse  6,  and  gives 
to  it  the  double  sense  of  oppressive  and  usurious.  Though 
we  are  not  disposed  to  accept  Delitzsch's  theory,  yet  it  seems 
quite  probable  that  the  word  was  here  selected  to  express 
the  idea  of  oppressive  violence,  and  under  this  to  describe 
the  pain,  the  loss,  the  ruin,  which  will  follow  being  bit- 
ten. Enemies  shall  arise  against  the  Chaldeans 
as  dangerous  and  deadly  as  the  serpent,  the  scor- 
pion, the  lion.  These  oppressors  shall  arise  sud- 
denly, i.  e.,  they  shall  abandon  their  state  of  inactivity, 
and  engage  actively  in  the  work  of  punishment.  This 
shall  be  done  in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye.  The 
suddenness  of  the  downfall  of  the  Chaldean  Empire  corres- 
ponds very  accurately  with  this  description.  In  the  second 
clause,  the  enemies  of  the  Chaldean  nation  are  described  as 
accomplishing  its  ruin  by  shaking  it,  just  as  one  shakes  to  its 
destruction  a  wall,  a  tree,  or  a  building.  The  form  of  the 
original  Hebrew  participle  implies  earnest  activity  in  the 
work.  The  figure  expressed  by  the  verb  "awake"  is  simi- 
lar to  that  of  the  preceding  clause,  being  the  rousing  of  a 
sleeper  to  consciousness  and  activity.  The  result  of  their 
efforts  is  that    they  shall  mete  to  the  Chaldeans    an  exact 


PROPHECY   OF   HABAKKUK. 


n 


and  appropriate  retribution  for  their  sins.  The  very 
nations  plundered  by  it,  in  turn  shall  spoil  it.  Divine 
providence  sends  appropriate  punishment  upon  trangressors. 
This  is  otten  long  delayed,  and  often  suddenly  inflicted,  and 
always  certain.  Its  suddenness  is  illustrated  in  the  flood,  the 
destruction  of  Sodom,  the  punishment  of  Pharaoh,  the 
punishment  of  the  enemies  of  God,  Sennacherib,  Nineveh, 
Nebuchadnezzar  and  Babylon. 

8.     Because  thou  hast  spoiled  fnany  nations,  all  the    rem- 
nant of  peoples  shall  spoil  thee,    on  account  of  the  blood- 
gidlt  of  man,  and  the  violence  oflaiid,  city,  ajtd  all  dwelling  in 
it.  This  verse  declares  that  the  reason  of  the  downfall  of  the 
Chaldean    nation  was  its  own  injustice  and  oppression,  and 
that  the  mode  of  its  punishment  should  correspond  exactly 
in  kind  with  the  external  form  of  its  sin.     All  that  is  left  of 
the  nations  after  its  violence  has  been  fully  stated,  shall  join 
in  this  work  of  appropriate  retribution.     See  Joshua  23:12; 
Zech.  14:2.     The  reason  is  plainly  declared    to  be  its  guilt 
and  violence.     Its  guilt  was  the  guilt  ot   murder,  or  blood- 
guiltiness,  literally  "the  bloods"  of  man.  The  word  "bloods" 
used  in  the  plural   number,    always    refers    to  the   guilt  of 
murder,  and  with    this  the    nation's    hands    were  indelibly 
stained.     The  destruction  of  lite  was  a  marked  feature  of  its 
treatment  of  other  nations.     The  guilt  of  murder  was  not 
its  only  cause  of  condemnation.     It  was  liable  also  to  pun- 
ishment   for    the    violence    (see  note  on   i:    2,)    done    to 
conquered  nations  generally,  and    not  merely  to   Judea  and 
Jerusalem.  Jer.    25:9;27:3.     The  conquered    nations  would 
be  injured  in  land,  city,  and    people,    i.  e.,  in  all  their  parts 
and  interest 

The  second  strophe  includes  verses  9-1 1.  Verse  9  de- 
nounces the  Chaldean  as  a  sinful  plunderer.  Verse  10  de- 
scribes the  result  of  his  sin  to  be  shame  and  guilt.  Verse 
1 1  expresses  the  cause  of  this  result  to  be  the  very  provi- 
dence of  God  in  those  things  in  which  his  sin  has  been 
manifested. 


74  A   COMMENTARY    ON   THE 

p.  Aha  I  The  07ie  plundering^  plunder  of  evil^  for  his 
house^  to  set  his  nest  on  high^  to  deliver  himself  from  the  hajid 
of  evil.  "Aha  !"  directs  attention  to  the  Chaldean  as  in  verse 
6,  and  expresses  condemnation,  and  denounces  him  as  wor- 
thy of  punishment.  The  Chaldean  is  described  as  rapacious 
and  selfish.  "Plunder  of  evil"  is  not  such  as  leads  to  the 
punishment  of  the  robber,  but  that  which  is  gained  by  in- 
justice and  oppression.  This  unjust  o;ain  is  acquired  for  the 
benefit  of  his  own  house,  which  includes  not  merely  the  reign- 
ing family,  but  the  whole  Chaldean  nation.  The  great  rep- 
resentative of  the  nation  applied  the  gains  to  the  aggrandize- 
ment of  his  own  family.  The  Chaldean  is  compared  to  the 
eagle  which  places  its  nest  on  the  top  ot  some  inaccessible 
cliff,  where  it  may  rear  its  brood  and  enjoy  its  prey  in 
safety.  The  design  of  the  Chaldean  in  all  his  rapacity  is  to 
make  for  himself  and  his  family  a  safe  and  permanent  home, 
in  which  he  may  secure  himself  from  the  hand  or  power  of 
evil,  which  includes  all  the  chastisement  or  punishment  of 
which  a  nation  is  capable,  and  thus  enjoy  his  sinful  gains. 
This  language  of  the  nations  clearly  expresses  the  folly  as 
well  as  the  wickedness  of  hoping  to  escape  evil  by  pursuing 
evil  practices.  One  cannot  deliver  himselt  from  evil  by  do- 
ing evil,  therefore  the  nations  say,  "Aha  !" 

10.  ^^Thou  hast  devised  shame  to  thy  house ^  the  destroying  of 
many  nations^  and  those  that  sin  against  thy  souV  The  sin 
of  the  Chaldean  has  brought  upon  him  two  results,  the  first 
of  these  is  shame  to  his  house,  for  the  reason  that  he  had 
destroyed  many  nations.  In  devising  and  accomplishing 
this  object,  he  had  actually  wrought  his  own  disgrace.  He 
had  conquered  the  weak,  enslaved  the  independent,  removed 
the  captives  out  of  their  own  land,  slain  the  helpless,  burned 
their  cities,  and  oppressed  them  without  measure.  The  sec- 
ond result  is  guilt,  which  shall  burden  his  own  soul.  The 
soul  being  the  seat  of  feeling,  the  sensitive  part  of  our  being 
which  takes  cognizance  of  pleasure  or  pain,  and  being  en- 
dowed with  a   conscience  which   decides  upon    the  moral 


PROPHECY   OF    HABAKKUK.  75 

quality  oi  our  actions,  to  sin  against  it  is  to  sin  against  one's 
best  interest,  and  implies  necessary  punishment.  So  the 
Chaldean  by  his  own  act  involved  his  own  soul  in  guilt  and 
consequent  ruin.     Prov.  8:  36;  20:  2. 

II.  For  the  stone  from  the  wall  shall  cry  out;  and  the  cross- 
beam  froin  the  tiinber  shall  answer  it.  This  verse  assigns 
the  reason  for  the  statement  ot  the  preceding  verse,  that  the 
Chaldean  had  by  his  own  action  involved  himself  in  shame, 
guilt,  and  consequent  punishment.  The  reason  is,  that  sut- 
fering  unjustly  inflicted  demands  retribution  at  the  hands  of 
a  just  God.  This  is  figuratively  expressed  by  ascribing  feel- 
ing and  speech  to  inanimate  nature,  a  mode  of  illustration 
common  in  the  Scriptures  and  used  by  the  Saviour  Him- 
self. For  example,  the  heavens,  the  firmanent,  day  and 
night,  Ps.  19:  I,  2;  sun,  moon,  and  stars,  Ps.  148:  3;  Job  38: 
7;  the  sea,  Ps.  98:  7;  blood.  Gen.  4:  10;  stones,  Luke  19:  40; 
all  are  said  to  testify  to  the  nature  and  perfection  of  their 
Creator,  and  especially  to  His  wisdom,  power,  goodness,  and 
j  ustice,  as  exhibited  in  them  and  through  their  instrumentality. 
The  stone  belonging  to  the  wall  of  the  Chaldean  house,  and 
the  beam  or  girder  among  its  timbers,  with  all  nature,  unite  in 
such  testimony.  They  furnish  also  another  species  of  testim.o- 
ny.  They  differ  from  all  the  other  inanimate  speakers  to 
which  the  Scriptures  refer,  because  they  are  the  work  of  men's 
hands,building  materials  prepared  for  the  Chaldean  palace,and 
placed  in  their  proper  position  by  his  agency.  They  have  been 
removed  by  man's  hands  from  their  original  position  in  the 
quarr}^,  the  forest,  or  the  wall  or  the  timbers  of  some  other  build- 
ing, transported  to  Babylon,  and  now  contribute  to  the 
strength  and  the  glory  of  his  house.  Here,  too,  their  very 
presence,  form,  position,  and  experience  testify  against  the 
rapacity  and  cruelty  of  the  Chaldean.  The  same  thought  is 
presented  by  the  prophet,  2:  9,  when  the  Chaldean  is  des- 
cribed as  a  bird  of  prey  which  builds  its  nest  out  of  what 
has  been  stolen  from  the  nests  of  weaker  birds,  and  like 
it  has  constructed  a  safe  and  strong  residence  out  of  the  ma- 


76  A    COMMENTARY   ON    THE 

teriais  formerly  composing  the  dwellings  of  the  nations  he  has 
conquered.  Another  mode  of  testimony  of  which  the  stone 
and  beam  are  capable  is  that  of  declaring  what  they  have 
seen  and  heard.  Inanimate  nature  may  also  record  both 
sights  and  sounds,  and  reveal  them  in  God's  time  and  way. 
This  mode  of  utterance  is  probably  exemplified  in  the  out- 
cry of  the  stones  mentioned  in  Luke  19:  40.  So  the  cap- 
tive nations  may  bear  witness  to  what  they  have  seen  and 
heard  as  subjects  of  the  Chaldean  Empire.  Another  mode 
of  testimony  adopted  by  some  interpreters  represents  the 
voice  of  the  stone  and  beam  to  be  an  allusion  to  the  worms 
and  vermin  occupying  the  now  decayed  beams  and  broken 
stones  which  were  once  materials  in  the  Chaldean  palace, 
and  uttering  their  cry  from  the  midst  of  its  ruin.  This  is 
entirely  improbable.  The  testimony  conveyed  in  these 
various  methods  is  indubitably  true,  and  therefore  incontro- 
vertible. All  utterances  of  the  inanimate  world  are  not 
only  true,  but  consequently  in  entire  accord  with  each 
other.  The  implication  here  is  that  the  stone  and  beam  never 
conflict  in  their  declarations.  The  testimony  thus  rendered 
involves  the  necessary  punishment  of  the  Chaldean,  be- 
cause the  God  of  nature  and  providence  is  the  Sovereign  of 
the  universe.  True  testimony  will  decide  His  actions, 
and  whether  sin  be  found  in  a  nation  or  an  individual,  it 
must  be  punished. 

12-14.  In  this  strophe,  the  Chaldean  is  charged  with 
seeking  his  own  aggrandizement  through  blood  and  crime. 
In  verse  13,  his  efforts  are  declared  to  be  useless,  and  they 
will  terminate  in  utter  ruin,  because  (verse  14,)  all  shall 
know  the  I^ord. 

12,  Aha!  TJie  07ie  building  a  city  in  blood-gidlt^  and  a 
town  in  crime.  On  the  interjection  ''Aha!"  see  verses  6  and 
9.  The  word  "city"  and  "town"  are  here  used  as  poetical 
equivalents.  They  apply  to  the  cities  and  towns  built 
or  established  by  the  Chaldeans  through  the  labor  of  cap- 
tive nations,  and  especially  to  the  city  of  Babylon,  the  capi- 


PROPHECY   OF   HABAKKUK.  77 

tal  of  Chaldea,  which  Nebuchadnezzar  boasts  of  having 
built  up  by  the  might  of  his  power,  Jer.  51:  58;  Micah  3:  10; 
Jer.  22:  13.  This  the  nations  declare  to  have  been  built  in 
bloodshed  and  crime,  by  compelling  unwilling  service 
through  the  practice  of  murder.  The  word  translated 
*'blood-guilt  "  is  the  plural  of  the  noun  meaning  "blood," 
and  always  signifies  the  guilt  of  murder,  bloodguiltiness,  as 
in  verse  8. 

7j.  Behold!  is  it  not  from  Jehovah  of  Hosts  ^  and  nations 
toil  just  for  the  fire  ^  and  peoples  weary  themselves  just  for 
vanity.  "Jehovah  of  Hosts"  does  not  signify  that  Jehovah 
is  the  God  of  battles,  (Clericus,)  but  the  Sovereign  of  the 
whole  imiverse,  into  whatever  classes  of  being  it  may  be 
divided,  such  as  the  spiritual  world,  material  creation,  hu- 
man and  animal  races,  and  whatsoever  else  has  been 
brought  into  being  by  His  omnipotent  hand.  The  atten- 
tion of  the  hearer  is  directed  to  Jehovah,  from  whom  that  is 
said  to  come  to  pass,  which  occurs  because  He  has  decreed 
it,  and  because  His  wisdom  and  power  execute  it.  His 
purposes  are  derived  from  the  suggestions  of  neither  angels 
nor  men.  Those  purposes  will  be  executed  without  regard 
to  the  expectation  or  opposition  of  His  creatures,  and.  their 
fulfilment  will  force  upon  all,  the  conviction  of  His  Sover- 
eignty. Here  the  captive  nations,  most  of  whom  were 
heathen,  will  join  in  the  recognition  of  Jehovah,  the  true 
God,  the  covenant  God  of  Israel.  The  conjunction  "and," 
which  occurs  twice,  indicates  a  causal  connection  between 
the  first  clause  and  each  of  the  others,  and  may  therefore  be 
best  translated  by  "that."  God  decrees  it,  and  consequently, 
nations  toil  for  naught.  The  sentiment  contained  in  the 
last  two  clauses  is  expressed  in  general  terms  and  is  appli- 
cable to  all  nations,  in  so  far  as  they  stand  opposed  to  the 
kingdom  of  God,  and  labor  merely  for  their  own  aggran- 
dizement. The  kingdoms  of  the  world  are  not  now  the  king- 
doms of  our  Lord  and  of  His  Christ.  As  the  language  of 
the  captive  nations,  it  is  designed    to  apply  specially  to  the 


jS  A   COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

Chaldean  nation,  which  was  the  grand  representative  of  evil, 
and  to  nations  which  toiled  under  its  own  despotism. 
These  toiled  just  for  the  fire,  and  wearied  themselves  just  for 
vanity.  Hard  and  wearisome  as  their  labor  is,  it  is  utterly 
useless,  because  it  will  be  consumed  totally  and  irremediably. 
An  old  interpreter  illustrates  this  by  comparing  their  work 
to  the  web  of  cloth  which  passes  out  of  the  weaver's  loom 
into  a  furnace.      Haggai  i:  6  furnishes  similar  illustrations. 

i^.  For  the  earth  shall  be  filled  zuith  the  knozvledge  oj  the 
glory  of  Jehovah^  as  the  waters  shall  cover  the  sea.  This 
verse  contains  the  reason  why  the  toil  of  nations  shall  be  useless. 
That  reason  is  that  the  earth  shall  be  completely  filled  with 
the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  Jehovah.  The  "glory  of  the 
Lord"  signifies  the  manifestation  of  the  excellence  of  Jehovah 
as  revealed  in  works  ot  creation,  providence  and  redemption, 
and  consequently  of  the  establishment,  maintenance  and 
progress  of  the  kingdom  of  God  upon  the  earth.  To 
"know"  the  glory  ol  Jehovah  is  not  merely  to  be  acquain- 
ted with  it,  nor  to  comprehend  its  mysteries,  but  actually  to 
experience  the  regenerating,  sanctifying  and  elevating 
power  of  the  gospel.  This  shall  be  the  experience  of  the 
whole  earth  in  God's  time  and  way.  It  may  be  long  postponed, 
but  it  will  come  certainly  and  completely.  With  this 
knowledge  the  earth  shall  be  filled  as  the  waters  cover  the 
sea,  i.  e.,  the  bed  or  bottom  of  the  sea,  which  is  occupied  by 
its  waters  completely  and  unceasingly.  As  the  waters  hide 
all  inequalities  of  the  bed  of  the  sea,  and  so  fill  it  as  to  re- 
duce them  to  a  line  and  surface  of  perfect  beauty,  so  shall 
this  knowledge  of  God  remove  all  traces  of  sin  and  suflfer- 
ing.  Unlike  the  waters  of  the  flood,  this  knowledge  shall 
give  life  and  happiness  to  all    the    inhabitants  of  the  earth. 

15-17.  The  Chaldean,  like  a  deceiver  who  intoxicates 
his  neighbor,  pours  out  his  wrath  upon  the  nations,  just  in 
order  to  feast  his  eyes  upon  their  shame.  V.  16.  He  shall 
be  punished  by  being  compelled  to  drink  of  the  cup  of  the 
Lord's  right  hand,  which  shall  bring  upon  him  great  shame. 


PROPHECY    OF    HABAKKUK.  79 

V.  17.     Thus  shall  he  be  punished,  because  of  his  violence, 
which  always  demands  the    interference  of  Jehovah's   right 

hand. 

7  J.  Aha!  the  one  giving  his  neighbor  drink^  pouring  out 
thy  wrath^  a7id  even  (so  as)  to  intoxicate^  in  order  to  behold 
their  nakedness.  "Aha!"  See  note,  verse  6,  (b.)  The  pro- 
nouns ot  the  second  and  third  persons,  the  singular  and  plu- 
ral, as  interchanged  in  this  verse,  are  occurrences  not  uncom- 
mon in  the  Hebrew.  The  interchange  is  here  so  obvious 
that  it  produces  no  obscurity.  The  noun  '-neighbor"  is  used 
collectively  to  designate  any  or  all  of  the  neighboring  na- 
tions. To  these  the  Chaldean  gives  intoxicating  drink,  not 
literally,  (Pool,)  but,  as  is  explained  by  the  next  clause,  by 
pouring  out  his  wrath  for  them  to  drink.  The  word 
"wrath"  means  originally  "heat,"  and  hence,  any  violent 
passion.  Here  it  expresses  the  violence  and  cruelty  exhib- 
ited to  the  nations  by  the  Chaldeans.  This  cup  of  wrath 
they  compel  the  nations  to  drink  unto  intoxication. 
There  is  a  limit  to  their  cruel  violence,  until  the  nations  lie 
before  them  in  a  miserable,  helpless  and  shameful  condition. 
The  design  of  the  Chaldean  is  that  he  may  feast  his  eyes 
upon  the  shame  of  those  nations  whom  he  has  brought  into 
this  fearful  state,  and  exult  in  the  cunning  and  power  which 
have  wrought  their  ruin.  The  reference  which  some  inter- 
preters have  imagined  in  this  clause,  to  a  peculiar  sin  of 
which  the  Babylonians  are  charged  by  Herodotus  and 
Ctesias,  is  needless  and  inconsistent  with  the  drift  of  the 
passage. 

16,  Thou  art  satiated  with  shame  from  glory.  Drink 
also  thou  ajid  show  thyself  uncircumcised.  The  cup  of  the 
right  hand  offehovah  shall  turn  itself  unto  thee.^  and  igno- 
miny shall  be  upon  thy  glory.  This  verse  contains  the  result 
of  the  treatment  of  the  captive  nations  by  the  Chaldean, 
which  shall  be  severe  and  appropriate.  As  he  brought  shame 
upon  others,  so  shall  he  drink  large  and  copious  draughts 
of  it,  until    his    proud  spirit  is  as  thoroughly  filled  with 


8o  A    COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

shame  as  it  was  once  with  joy.  This  punishment  will  be 
the  more  humiliating,  because  it  is  a  descent  Irom  glory  to 
shame.  The  prediction  is  here  thrown  into  the  form  of  a 
command,  and  indicates  the  stern  necessity  of  obedience 
to  the  highest  authority.  The  effect  of  drinking  upon 
them,  will  be  the  same  as  in  the  case  of  the  captive  nations, 
namely,  misery,  helplessness,  and  disgrace,  while  the  addi- 
tional thought  is  suggested  that  in  the  exposure  of  his  un- 
circumcised  state,  all  will  recognize  his  estrangement  from 
the  covenant  of  life.  The  "right  hand"  of  Jehovah  is  the 
seat  of  His  power,  and  is  employed  in  the  execution  ot  His 
purposes.  It  holds  the  cup  of  His  wrath,  and  in  due  time 
it  shall  turn  towards  the  Chaldean,  Lam.  4:  21.  When  his 
turn  comes  to  drink,  he  cannot  put  it  away  from  him,  but 
must  drain  it  to  the  very  dregs.  The  word  translated 
"ignominy"  has  been  interpreted  by  some  as  signifying  "the 
most  extreme  contempt,"  by  others  as  the  compound  word 
signifying,  "vomit  of  shame,"  ''^vomztits  ignominiae^^  (Vul- 
gate). Either  of  these  interpretations  expresses  the  idea  that 
his  glory  shall  be  exchanged  for  ignominy,  and  shall  be  con- 
cealed by  it  from  human  view. 

I  J,  For  the  violence  of  Lebanon  shall  cover  thee^  and 
spoiling  of  beasts  shall  terrify  them\  on  account  of  the  blood- 
guilt  of  man^  and  violence  of  the  land^  city  and  all  dwelling  in 
it.  This  verse  presents  the  reason  why  such  shame  shall 
rest  upon  Babylon.  And  in  order  to  express  it  more  forci- 
bly, the  punishment  is  first  figuratively  described,  and  its 
cause  then  stated  in  language  quoted  trom  2:  8.  "Lebanon" 
is  the  name  of  a  mountain  range  in  the  northern  part  of 
Palestine.  It  was  so  goodly  and  important  a  part  of  the 
country  that  its  name  is  sometimes  used  as  the  designation 
of  the  whole  land  of  promise,  as  in  Isa.  14:  4,  8.  Some  in- 
terpreters think  it  so  used  here,  and  that  the  first  clause 
of  the  verse  describes  the  injury  done  by  the  Chaldeans  to 
the  whole  land,  which  was  the  rightful  home  of  the  pro- 
fessed people  of  God.     Hendersen  and  others   regard   the 


PROPHECY   OF    HABAKKUK.  8l 

term  "Lebanon"  as  signifying  only  the  city  ot  Jerusalem, 
because  materials  brought  from  Lebanon  were  employed  in 
the  construction  of  a  part  of  the  city,  (see  Jer.  22:  23;  Ezek. 
17:  23;  Zech.  11:  I,)  and  partly  because  of  the  stateliness  of 
its  buildings  and  especially  of  the  grandeur  of  the  temple. 
The  prophet  designs  rather  to  express  the  chastisement  ol 
the  sin  of  the  Chaldean  by  means  of  a  figurative  reference  to 
Lebanon.  Lebanon  was  celebrated  as  abounding  in  goodly 
cedars,  Qer.  22:  23;  I  Kings  5:  6;  Ps.  27:  5;  Isa.  14,  8;  Ezra 
2)'.  7-)  and  also  in  wild  animals,  (II  Kings  14:  9;  Song  of  Sol. 
4:  8).  Its  forests  were  liable  to  be  destroyed  by  violence, 
and  its  beasts  to  be  spoiled  by  Israel's  enemies,  a  mode  of  treat- 
ment which  shall  terrify  them.  "Violence"  signifies  the 
irrational  and  illegal  exercise  of  power.  Lebanon  would  be 
subjected  to  it  by  the  felling  of  its  cedars,  (Isa.  14:  8,)  and 
also  by  the  destruction  of  its  beasts,  which  shall  terrify  the 
people,  because  a  mere  remnant  of  them  w^ould  be  left.  Both 
"violence"  and  "spoil"  must  be  regarded  as  the  subject  of 
the  verb  in  the  first  clause,  "shall  cover  thee,"  and  thus  the 
declaration  is  made  that  an  infliction  similar  to  that  suffered 
by  the  forests  and  the  beasts  of  Lebanon  shall  fall  upon  the 
Chaldean,  and  this  infliction  shall  be  severe  and  unavoidable. 
On  the  latter  part  of  the  verse,  which  is  quoted  from  verse 
8  see  remarks  on  that  verse. 

18-20.  This  paragraph  difiers  in  form  from  the  other  di- 
visions of  the  song,  the  interjection  "Aha"  commencing 
the  second  verse  of  the  strophe  instead  of  the  first,  and  the 
last  verse  beginning  with  "and"  instead  of  "for."  The  na- 
tions, in  verse  18,  declare  the  unprofitableness  of  idols,  and 
the  consequent  uselessness  of  idolatry.  In  verse  19,  the  na- 
tions denounce  the  sin  of  idolatry  wherever  it  occurs,  and 
especially  among  the  Chaldeans,  and  then  prove  its  folly. 
Verse  20  assigns  a  reason  for  casting  off  idolatry,  because 
Jehovah  is  the  true  God  who  dwells  in  heaven,  and  is  the 
supreme  Lord. 

18,      What  does  it  profit  a  graven  image  though  its  maker 


82  A    COMMENTARY   ON    THE 

has  graven  it?  a  molten  image  and  teacher  of  falsehood^ 
though  the  maker  of  his  work  trusted  upon  it^  to  make  dumb 
idols  f  The  question  here  implies  the  answer  that  idols  de- 
rive no  advantage  from  the  labor  and  skill  of  him  who  makes 
them,  (Jer.  2:  11,)  but  whatever  be  their  size,  form,  or  beauty, 
they  still  remain  a  log  of  wood,  a  block  of  stone,  or  a  mass 
of  metal.  The  very  terms  here  employed  to  describe  an 
idol,  a  "graven  image,"  and  a  "molten  image"  show  the  folly 
of  idol  w^orship.  Their  very  forms  are  due  to  the  skill  of 
the  workman.  They  are  lifeless  matter,  "the  product  of  his 
art  and  yet  the  hope  of  his  soul,"  (Pool.)  When  made,  they 
are  dumb  idols  incapable  of  speech,  and  their  silence  is  the 
strongest  evidence  that  they  have  not  been  profited  by  the 
Vv^orkman's  skill.  Even  when  pretended  oracles  are  given  in 
their  name,  the  event  proves  them  false,  and  they  theretore 
earn  for  themselves  the  title  of  teacher  of  falsehood.  But 
God  is  the  true  teacher,  Jer.  10:  8-14;  Job  36:  22.  There- 
fore because  they  still  remain  dumb,  their  service  is  un- 
profitable. 

ig.  Aha!  The  one  saying  to  the  wood^  awake!  Arise ^  to 
the  diunb  stone;  sJiallit  teach?  Behold  !  litis  is  overlaid  with 
gold  and  silver^  aiid  there  is  no  spirit  at  all  in  tJie  midst  of  it, 
"Aha"  must  be  interpreted  here  as  in  verse  6.  The  Chal- 
dean is  now  charged  with  the  crime  whose  unprofitableness 
has  just  been  exposed,  and  consequently  all  idolatrous  na- 
tions share  in  his  guilt  and  folly.  He  is  guilty  of  saying  to 
that  which  is  mere  wood  and  stone,  "awake,"  "arise,"  i.  e., 
abandon  your  present  state  of  repose  and  inaction,  and  ex- 
ert yourselves  to  help  me.  The  folly  of  this  petition  is 
forcibly  shown  by  the  question,  "shall  it  teach?"  because  it 
is  from  its  very  nature  incapable  of  doing  such  a  thing. 
Some  translate  this  clause,  "it  shall  teach,"  and  regard  it  as 
the  reason  why  the  petitioner  calls  upon  the  idol,  and  a 
recognition  of  its  power  to  help.  But  this  signification 
would  probably  have  been  expressed  by  a  verb  in  the  second 
person  singular.     The  folly  of  idolatry  is    moreover  shown 


PROPHECY   OF   HABaKKUK.  83 

by  the  fact  that  overlaying  the  idol  with  gold  and  silver  is 
applicable  only  to  an  inanimate  object,  and  while  such 
treatment  may  increase  its  value,  yet  it  cannot  impart  either 
spiritual  or  physical  life.  According  to  the  account  ot  the 
creation  of  man  in  Gen.  2:  7,  the  living  spirit  and  the  breath 
of  man  are  intimately  connected.  But  the  idol  is  destitute 
of  spirit,  and  consequently  of  breath,  and  both  of  these  are 
essentially  necessary  to  the  articulation  of  an  oracular 
response. 

20.  And  Jehovah  is  in  the  temple  of  his  holiness.  Be 
silent  before  him  all  the  earth.  The  conjunction  ''and"  is 
here  in  place  of  the  word  "for,"  which  occurs  in  the  last 
verse* of  all  the  other  strophes  in  the  Song  of  the  Nations. 
It  introduces  the  coming  truth  concerning  Jehovah  as  an 
additional  fact,  which  must  be  considered  in  connection 
with  the  statements  just  made  respecting  idolatry.  This 
position  also  suggests  the  strongest  contrast  between  dumb 
idols  and  the  living  Jehovah.  Though  the  word  "for"  does 
not  introduce  the  sentence,  yet  there  is  also  a  casual  con- 
nection between  the  iollowing  clause  and  the  two  preced- 
ing verses.  The  making  of  idols  and  idolatrous  worship 
are  entirely  useless  because  Jehovah  is  the  only  true  God. 
The  name  "Jehovah"  describes  Him  as  the  self-existent, 
eternal,  and  unchangeable  God.  He  is  Jehovah  of  Hosts, 
because  the  Creator  and  Sovereign  of  all  classes  of  beings. 
He  is  the  covenant  God  of  Israel,  who  will  make  all  things 
work  together  for  the  good  of  His  people.  The  "temple  of 
His  holiness"  does  not  refer  to  the  temple  in  Jerusalem,  nor 
to  the  church  on  earth,  but  to  heaven  as  His  peculiar  dwell- 
ing-place, which  is  consecrated  to  Him,  and  is  free  from  all 
stain  of  impurity.  Seated  there  He  is  the  Sovereign  of  all 
creation, therefore  all  the  earth  and  all  its  inhabitants  are 
bound  to  be  silent  before  Him,  in  token  of  their  dependence 
upon  Him,  their  reverential  submission  to  His  will,  com- 
plete recognition  of  His  supremacy,  their  conscious  unworth- 
iness,  and  their  desire  to  seek  His  favor. 


84  A    COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

CHAPTER   III. 

The  third  chapter  of  this  prophecy  forms  an  integral  por- 
tion of  the  book,  and  is  closely  related  to  2:  i,  where  the 
prophet  announces  two  things  to  be  done  by  himself  He 
declares  that  he  will  stand  on  his  watch  and  tower,  to  see 
first  what  Jehovah  will  speak  in  him,  and  secondly  what  re- 
ply he  will  return  to  Jehovah  upon  his  complaint.  The 
second  chapter  contains  the  prophet's  account  of  Jehovah's 
communication  in  and  through  him,  respecting  the  Chal- 
dean nation,  and  the  third  chapter  contains  the  prophet's 
reply  as  predicted  by  himself  It  stands  in  its  appointed 
place,  and  makes  the  book  a  complete  whole.  The  prophet's 
appointed  task  is  an  act  of  worship  before  Jehovah  in  heaven, 
and  this  is  indicated  in  the  title  of  the  chapter,  verse  i. 
He  prays  in  verse  2,  presenting  in  penitent  faith  his  desire 
for  the  advancement  of  God's  work,  and  an  exhibition  of 
His  mercy.  In  verses  3-16,  he  renders  glory  to  God  for  His 
wonderful  and  His  complete  supremacy  over  all  the  earth. 
In  verses  17-19,  he  announces  his  entire  submission  to 
Jehovah's  will,  and  his  confident  expectation  of  good. 

/.  A  prayer  of  Habakkuk  the  prophet  upon  shiggionoth. 
This  composition  is  a  prayer,  and  its  title  is  also  prefixed 
to  several  of  the  Psalms  of  David.  See  Psalms  17,  86,  90, 
102,  142.  The  various  elements  of  prayer,  such  as  thanks- 
giving, adoration,  confession,  and  petition,  become  promi- 
nent in  these  psalms  according  to  the  circumstances  and 
feelings  oi  the  writer.  The  only  petition  in  this  prayer  is 
contained  in  verse  2,  while  the  rest  of  the  composition  is  an 
expression  of  the  writer's  confident  expectation  of  Jehovah's 
interference  to  help  his  people  and  punish  his  enemies.  The 
term  "shiggionoth"  is  very  obscure.  It  is  the  plural  of  the 
noun  shiggaion^  which  occurs  only  in  the  title  of  Ps.  7. 
Among  the  interpretations  of  the  phrase  the  following  may 
be  noticed,  none  of  which  however  can  be  positively  as- 
serted to  be  correct:  first,  "upon  musical  instruments  called 


PROPHECY   OF   HABAKKUK.  85 

shiggaions;"  secondly,  "after  the  manner  of  songs;"  thirdly, 
"after  the  manner  of  elegiac  or  plaintive  song;"  fourthly, 
"after  the  manner  of  erratic  songs,  dithyrambic  odes,"  a 
species  of  rhythmical  composition  which  from  its  enthusi- 
astic irregularity  is  admirably  adapted  tor  songs  of  triumph 
or  victory;  fifthly,  "concerning  wanderings,  errors,  sins  of 
ignorance,"  w^hich  are  then  said  to  be  the  sins  of  the  Chal- 
deans against  the  Jews. 

2.  Jehovah  1 1  have  heard  the  communication  of  thee.  I 
a7n  afraid,  Jehovah!  vivify  thy  work  in  the  juidst  of  the 
years;  thon  wilt  make  it  known;  in  wrath  thoit  wilt  remem- 
ber to  be  mercijnl.  The  first  clause  is  literally  rendered,  "I 
have  heard  the  hearing  of  thee."  Some  understand  this  to 
mean,  "I  have  heard  the  messenger  announcing  thine  ap- 
proach." We  preier  to  regard  it  as  the  communication  of 
God  which  had  already  been  made  to  the  prophet's  hearing, 
i.  e.,  the  communication  made  to  him  concerning  the  great 
work  of  God.  It  corresponds  in  substance  with  the  term 
"utterance,"  in  i:  i,  and  "vision,"  in  i:  2,  as  a  description 
of  an  inspiration,  while  it  designates  it  particularly  as  that 
which  is  heard  concerning  Jehovah.  The  effect  of  this  rev- 
elation of  Jehovah's  sovereignty,  justice  and  mercy 
filled  him  with  deep  and  heartfelt  reverence  and 
awe.  This  effect  follows  every  exhibition  of  Jeho- 
vah's presence  and  power.  The  prophet  prays  Jeho- 
vah to  "vivify"  His  work,  i.  e.,  to  execute  it. 
The  "work"  of  God  can  only  mean  the  great  work  which  is 
the  subject  of  this  book,  and  which  Jehovah  announces  as 
His  work  in  i:  5.  This  was  the  employment  of  the  Chal- 
dean as  the  instrument  in  the  chastisement  of  His  professed 
people,  and  the  rejection  and  punishment  of  that  wicked  na- 
tion when  the  appointed  time  should  come.  Trembling  be- 
fore the  sovereign  Jehovah,  the  prophet  now  prays  that  He 
will  "vivify"  His  work,  i.  e.,  make  it  live,  make  it  a  living 
reality,  accomplish  it,  so  that  what  was  prophecy  should  be- 
come history. 


86  A    COMMENTARY   ON    THE 

The  phrase  "in  the  midst  of  the  years"  signifies,  during 
and  within  the  years  appointed  for  this  purpose,  so  that  the 
prescribed  time  shall  not  pass  by  until  the  work  is  accom- 
plished. The  petition  of  the  first  clause  changes  to  the  ex- 
pression of  believing  anticipation  in  the  second,  that  God 
will  execute  His  promised  work,  and  make  it  manifest  to 
all.  As  God  liad  directed  the  measures  to  be  taken  tor  dis- 
seminating the  vision  of  chapter  2  very  wddely,  (2:  2,)  now 
the  prophet  declares  his  belief  that  God  will  make  the  ful- 
fillment known.  Jehovah's  anger  would  be  displayed  both 
in  the  chastisement  of  the  Jews  by  the  Chaldeans,  and  also 
in  the  punishment  of  the  Chaldeans  for  their  wickedness. 
Even  while  this  process  of  punishment  is  going  on,  the 
prophet  expresses  the  hope  that  God  will  not  forget  to  show 
mercy  to  his  oppressed  and  distressed  people.  The  very  ex- 
pression of  his  faith  is  really  a  continuation  of  the  petition 
in  the  first  clause. 

J.  A  god  shall  C07ne  from  Teman^  and  a  holy  one  from  Mount 
Par  an.  Selah.  His  splendor  has  covered  the  heavens^  and  the 
earth  is  full  of  his  praise.  The  term  usually  employed  to 
designate  God  is  Elohim.,  which  is  a  noun  in  the  plural 
number.  The  word  used  in  this  verse  is  Eloah^  which  dif- 
fers only  in  being  in  the  singular  number.  Many  writers 
think  it  is  introduced  here  as  a  poetical  equivalent  to  the 
ordinary  form  Elohim,  but  it  seems  more  probable  that  as 
the  plural  is  applied  to  God  to  describe  Him  as  the  supreme 
object  of  rev^erence,  the  singular  is  here  used  to  suggest  the 
idea  of  "a  god,"  indefinitely.  The  prophet  receives  intima- 
tions of  the  approach  of  a  divine  Being,  whose  presence  in- 
dividually as  Jehovah  is  left  to  be  interred  by  the  preceding 
inscription.  In  this  way  the  passage  differs  from  i:  12, 
where  Jehovah  is  called  by  the  prophet  "My  God,"  Elohim^ 
"My  holy  one."  Teman  is  a  country  lying  to  the  south  and 
east  of  Idumea.  It  derived  its  name  from  Teman  the  grand- 
son of  Esau.  The  name  signifies  "the  south,"  and  some  in- 
terpreters preter  to  give  it  that  meaning  here.      But  the  par- 


PROPHECY   OF   HABAKKUK.  87 

allelism  demands  a  proper  name  here  as  well  as  in  the  sec- 
ond clause.  Paran  is  applied  to  the  whole  region  between 
Judea  and  Sinai,  part  of  which  was  a  wilderness,  and  part 
hilly  and  mountainous.  The  term  ''Mount"  describes  it  as 
a  hilly  country  rather  than  as  a  single  mountain  peak  or 
range.  The  ancient  name  is  still  preserved  in  Wady  Feiran, 
a  ravine  north  of  Mount  Sinai.  The  reason  why  God  is 
said  to  come  trom  these  places  is,  these  were  the  scenes  of 
His  ancient  wonders.  Gen.  21:  21;  I  Sam.  25:  i;  Deut.  33: 
2;  Gen.  36:  11-42;  Jer.  49:  7;  x\mos  i:  12.  He  had  once 
brought  up  His  people  Israel  from  Egypt  through  these 
lands  into  Canaan,  and  had  exhibited  His  justice  and  His 
mercy  to  them  in  His  wonderful  dealings  with  them.  The 
prophet  would  now  represent  Him  as  coming  from  the  scenes 
then  made  memorable,  to  perform  another  great  act  in  the 
drama  of  the  church's  history  by  chastising  and  delivering 
His  people  a  second  time.  The  object  of  His  coming  is 
therefore  the  prosecution  of  the  great  work  mentioned  in 
the  preceding  verse.  "Selah."  "Pause."  The  word  "Se- 
lah"  is  now  generally  interpreted  as  we  have  here  translated 
it.  It  is  supposed  to  have  indicated  a  pause  in  the  recita- 
tion of  the  Psalm,  while  the  instruments  performed  an  inter- 
lude. It  generally  occurs  at  the  close  of  a  strain,  and  in  some 
instances  is  several  times  repeated  in  the  same  Psalm.  It  is 
occasionally  found  at  the  close  of  the  piece,  and  is  supposed 
to  indicate  that  it  must  not  be  repeated.  Other 
interpretations  have  been  given,  which  need  not  be  repeated, 
as  they  are  generally  abandoned.  During  the  pause  the 
tokens  of  the  presence  of  the  Deity  became  more  manifest 
and  glorious,  and  the  prophet  exchanges  the  future  tense  for 
the  present.  His  approach  is  so  attended  with  a  display  of 
His  divine  majesty,  that  the  heavens  and  the  earth  are 
flooded  with  it  as  they  are  with  the  light  ot  the  rising  sun. 
"His  praise"  suggests  the  thought  that  the  earth,  by  receiv- 
ing and  reflecting  His  glory,  actually  praises  Him  for  it. 
^.     And  there  shall  be  brightness   as  the   light.     He   has 


S8  A   COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

horns  from  his  Jiand^  ajid  there  is  the  veiling  of  his  strength. 
The  progressive  development  of  the  theophany  is  described 
in  such  terms  as  suggest  a  description  of  sunrise.  In  this 
natural  phenomenon  the  heavens  are  first  illuminated  by  the 
beams  of  the  sun,  then  the  earth  is  touched  by  them,  and 
everything  is  flooded  with  brilliant,  glorious  light.  So  now 
the  prophet  would  represent  the  coming  divinity  as  shed- 
ding forth  such  brightness  as  fills  and  adorns  everything. 
Some  take  the  word  translated  "the  light"  to  mean  the  sun, 
as  in  Job  24:  14,  but  this  translation  is  needless.  As  the 
theophany  advances,  the  all-pervading  light  is  traced  to  its 
source,  the  hand  of  the  Deity.  The  word  "horns"  designates 
the  rays  of  light  which  proceed  from  a  luminous  body.  It 
is  so  used  by  the  Arabs.  Both  ancient  and  modern  picto- 
rial illustrations  of  the  sun  represent  it  by  a  circle  sur- 
rounded by  cones  or  horns.  The  word  "horns"  in  the  orig- 
inal is  in  the  dual  number,  not  to  indicate  that  there  are  but 
two  rays,  but  simply  because  those  objects  usually  found  in 
pairs  are  expressed  by  nouns  in  the  dual  number.  In  the 
hand  and  thi  horns,  both  of  which  are  Scriptural  emblems 
of  power,  is  His  strength  "veiled,"  concealed  from  observa- 
tion. The  hand  of  the  Deity,  which  He  is  wont  to  use  in 
the  accomplishment  of  His  promises  and  threatenings,  is  the 
seat  of  His  power,  and  the  effulgent  brightness  proceeding 
trom  it,  is  at  once  the  token  and  veil  ot  His  strength. 

5.  Before  him  pestilence  shall  move  on^  and  plague  shall 
go  Old  at  his  feet.  He  is  a  terrible  and  dreadful  God.  The 
most  awful  scourges  of  humanity  attend  His  progress.  The 
word  translated  "plague"  is  rendered  by  some,  "birds  of 
prey,"  by  others,  "lightning,"  and  by  others,  "coals  of  fire," 
but  the  signification  of  burning,  inflammatory  disease,  is 
suited  to  the  etymology  of  the  word,  (compare  the  usage  in 
Ps.  9:  16  ;  Deut.  32  :  34,)  and  suits  the  parallelism  of 
the  clause.  The  phrase  to  "go  out  at  one's  feet"  signifies  "to 
accompany  a  leader,  to  follow  in  his  train." 

6.  He  stood  and  measured  the  earth;  he  looked  and  scat- 


PROPHECY   OF    HABAKKUK.  89 

tered  nations;  and  the  old  moimtaifts  broke  asnnder^  the  hills 
of  eternity  sank;  ways  of  eternity  are  to  him.  Having 
reached  the  theatre  where  His  mighty  work  must 
be  performed,  the  God  stood  still  and  measured 
the  earth.  Some  give  to  the  verb  translated 
^'measured"  the  sense  of 'He  causes  to  tremble,"  deriving  it 
Irom  a  root  nowhere  else  found,  and  urge  in  support  of  this 
version  the  parallelism  of  the  second  clause.  But  this  is  not 
sufficient  reason  for  changing  the  signification  oi  the  verb, 
which  is  definitely  fixed  by  usage.  By  measuring  the  earth, 
many  understand  that  He  measures  it  with  His  eyes,  surveys 
it  as  the  scene  of  His  approaching  work.  We  prefer  to  re- 
gard Him  as  measuring  it  with  His  stride.  His  form  is  so 
vast,  that  as  he  stood,  he  measured  the  whole  earth,  like 
the  apocalyptic  angel,  who  stands,  with  one  foot  on  sea,  and 
the  other  on  land.  Thus  standing  in  His  majesty,  he  just 
looks  upon  the  earth,  and  the  effects  of  his  glance  are  dis- 
played both  in  the  rational  and  material  creation.  Whole 
nations  are  scattered  by  it,  as  chaff  is  scattered  by  the  wind. 
The  adjectives  in  the  remaining  clauses  of  the  Authorized 
Version  are  nouns  in  the  Hebrew,  and  would  be  translated 
literally  "the  mountains  of  perpetuity,"  "the  hills  of  eternity," 
"the  ways  of  eternity."  Not  only  are  men  smitten 
and  scattered  by  His  glance,  but  it  rends  asunder  the  very 
frame  work  of  nature.  The  very  mountains  and  hills  that 
are  so  old,  and  have  seen  so  many  changes  unmoved,  now 
break  and  are  levelled  to  the  ground  betore  Him.  By  the 
"ways  of  Jehovah,"  Hitzig  understands  the  paths  on  which 
Jehovah  walks,  and  because  He  walks  upon  them  they 
are  affected  as  describe  in  the  preceding  clause.  But  it  is 
better  to  take  the  word  "ways"  in  its  ordinary  sense  of  His 
acts.  The  passage  then  represents  Him  as  resuming  or  re- 
peating the  same  great  deeds  which  he  had  performed  of 
old,  and  perhaps  especially  those  He  wrought  in  bringing 
His  people  Irom  Egypt  to  Canaan. 

7.     /  saw  the  tents  of  Cushan  under  iniquity;  the  curtains 


go  A    COMMENTARY   ON    THE 

of  the  land  of  Midian  shall  tremble.  The  general  statements 
of  the  preceding  verse  are  now  particularized  by  specifying 
the  effects  produced  upon  Cushan  and  Midian  by  the  pres- 
ence and  looks  of  Jehovah.  The  term  "Cushan"  occurs 
nowhere  else,  but  it  is  generally  conceded  to  be  a  mere 
poetical  variation  of  "Cush,"  the  termination  being  added 
to  bring  it  into  close  analogy  with  Midian.  Most  modern 
interpreters  refer  the  name  "Cush"  or  Ethiopia  to  a  rich  and 
powerful  empire  occupying  the  region  south  of  Egypt,  now 
called  Abyssinia.  The  land  ot  Midian  lay  east  and  north 
of  the  Elanitic  arm  of  the  Red  Sea  to  the  land  of  Moab. 
These  two  are  mentioned  as  individuals  taken  from  the 
countries  south  of  Palestine,  and  representing  all  the  rest. 
The  "curtains"  signify  literally  the  "hangings"  of  which 
the  tent  is  made,  and  derive  their  name  from  their  tremu- 
lous motion  in  the  wind.  The  word  is  used  as  a  synonym 
for  "tents"  in  the  first  clause,  and  both  stand  for  their  in- 
habitants. To  be  under  iniquity,  is  to  be  under  its  power, 
to  suffer  it  as  a  heavy  burden. 

8,  Against  the  river^s  has  biirited^  Jehovah!  against  the 
rivers  thine  anger ^  against  the  sea  thy  wrath;  for  thou  wilt 
ride  npon  thy  horses.,  thy  chariots  of  salvation.  In  ancient 
times  Jehovah  had  exhibited  His  power  by  smiting  the  Nile, 
the  Red  Sea,  and  the  Jordan.  The  prophet  now  asks 
whether  Jehovah  would  repeat  these  ancient  wonders.  The 
question  is  not  designed  to  elicit  or  suggest  a  negative  an- 
swer, as  Hendersen  thinks,  but  in  connection  with  the  last 
clause  of  the  verse  is  designed  to  express  the  thought  that 
Jehovah  is  now  riding  forth  in  the  same  majestic  display 
which  attended  Him  when  He  smote  the  Nile,  the  Red 
Sea,  and  the  Jordan.  The  horses  and  chariots  are  men- 
tioned, not  to  represent  lightning,  or  angelic  spirits,  but  as 
the  military  accompaniments  of  a  great  conqueror.  They 
are  called  "the  chariots  of  salvation"  because  in  them 
Jehovah  comes  to  deliver  His  people. 

g.     In  nakedness  thy  bow  is  made  bare;  sworn    missiles  is 


PROPHECY   OF   HABAKKUK. 


91 


the  word.     Selah.  With  rivers  thou  wilt  cleave  earth.     Hes- 
selberg  and  Hitzig  think  the  rainbow  is  meant,  but  it  suits 
the  context  better  to  explain  it  of  the  military    bow.     This 
was  carried  in  a  case  or   sheath,    to  which  the    Greeks  and 
Latins  e^ave  the  name  of  corvtos.     The  act  of  withdrawing 
the  bow  from  the  sheath  indicated    preparation  for  immedi- 
ate action.     Thus  Jehovah    now    prepares  Himself  for    the 
execution  of  His  work  of  salvation.     The  second    clause    is 
one  of  the  most  difficult    in  the  book,  and  the  ingenuity  of 
interpreters  has  furnished  a  hundred  different  expositions  ot 
it.     Among  the  many  interpretations  of  this  passage,  it  may 
be  interesting    to   our  readers  to  present  the    following:  i. 
*'sworn  are  the  rods  of  His  word,"  i.  e.,  the  penalties  decreed 
by  the  word  of  God  are  confirmed  by  an  oath  and  hence  are 
unchangeable  and  unavoidable.  Gesenius.     2.  Rosenmueller 
and    others  translate:    "the   oaths    of  the    tribes,   even  the 
promise,"  i.  e.,  God  in  making  bare  His  bow  will  accomplish 
the  salvation  of  His  people  and    fulfill  the    promise    which 
He  made  to  the  tribes  of  Israel  and  sealed   with  his  oath.  3. 
Hesselberg  and  Hitzig  read  here:  "seven  are  the  lines  (of  the 
bow.)  (Let)  a  song  of  victory  (be  sung.)"   4.     Henderseu; 
"Sevens  of  spears  was  the  word,"  i.    e.,    the    word  of  com- 
mand.    5.     Maurer  reads:  "The   spears  are   satiated  (with 
blood).  A  song  (of  victory").  6.     Keil:  "Rods  are  sworn  by 
word."       7.     SchafF:  Rods  (of  chastisement)  are   sworn    by 
the  w^ord."     In  the  translation  we  have  given,  the   descrip- 
tion of  the  warlike  preparation    commenced    in    the    first 
clause  is  continued  by  describing  the  missiles  as  sworn,  i.  e., 
trusty,    sworn    to   do     their   duty.     The    word    translated 
"missiles"  includes  all  sorts  of  jaculatory  weapons,  such  as 
arrows,  darts,  spears,  &c.  Here  probably  it  signifies  "arrows," 
which    are    the    representatives    of  such    instruments   as 
Jehovah  employs  in  the  execution  of  His  purposes,  as  light- 
ning, which  is  often  called   God's    "arrow."     Having   thus 
presented  the  Divine  Warrior  as  all    ready  for   action,    the 
prophet  next  mentions   the  word  or   roar  of   the   thunders 


92  A   COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

which  accompany  and  follow  the  discharge  of  the  heavenly 
artillery.  "The  thunder  spoke."  Blinded  by  the  brilliance 
of  the  arrows,  he  appropriately  pursues  the  description 
through  the  information  furnished  by  the  sense  of  hearing. 
There  is  then  a  "Selah,"  a  pause,  while  the  weapons  of 
Jehovah  perform  their  work,  and  the  awe-struck  prophet  re- 
covers from  his  terror  and  receives  the  word.  After  the 
pause,  the  prophet  beholds  the  coming  effect  of  Jehovah's 
power.  The  surface  of  the  earth  shall  be  cleft  with  deep 
chasms  which  form  the  beds  of  rivers.  Such  has  been  the 
case  already  with  many  of  the  rivers  of  Palestine,  which 
wind  along  through  deep  and  narrow  valleys,  hemmed  in 
by  lofty  and  precipitous  walls  of  rock. 

10.  The  mountains  sazv  thee^  they  trembled;  the  flood  of 
waters  has  passed  by;  the  abyss  uttered  its  voice ^  lifted  up 
its  hands  on  high.  The  theophany  continues  with  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  consequence  of  God's  presence  upon  nature. 
This  corresponds  with  what  is  said  in  verses  6-8,  and  de- 
scribes again  the  effect  produced  upon  the  mountains  and 
waters  by  their  vision  of  God.  The  tremor  of  the  moun- 
tains indicates  their  sense  of  His  presence,  wisdom,  power, 
and  holiness.  The  next  effect  produced  by  the  appearance 
of  God  is  the  overflowing  of  waters  which  passed  by,  which 
are  an  acknowledgment  of  Jehovah's  presence,  power,  wis- 
dom, holiness  and  covenant  love  to  His  people.  This  had 
already  been  manifested  graciously  in  the  opening  of  a  path 
through  the  Red  Sea  and  the  Jordan  for  the  use  of  Israel, 
and  positively  in  the  judgments  of  the  flood  and  of  the  Dead 
Sea.  It  would  reappear  figuratively  in  the  punishment  of 
Chaldea  and  the  restoration  of  Judah  to  his  own  land.  When 
God's  time  came,  and  in  close  connection  with  what  had 
been  previously  predicted,  the  deep  uttered  his  voice  by 
the  roaring  of  his  waters  and  exhibited  his  power  by  the 
lifting  up  of  his  waves.  Mountains  and  floods,  both  land  and 
water  thus  express  their  sympathy  with  each  other  and  their 
mutual  recognition  of  the  presence  of  Jehovah. 


PROPHECY    OF    HABAKKUK.  93 

II.  Stilly  inoon^  stood  in  their  habitation;  at  the  light  of 
thine  arrows  they  shall  go  forth  ^  at  the  brightness  of  the  glit- 
tering of  thy  spear.  The  influence  of  Jehovah's  presence 
extends  even  to  the  heavenly  bodies.  The  most  conspicu- 
ous of  these,  the  sun  and  moon,  are  arrested  in  their  course, 
and  stand  still  as  they  once  did  in  the  days  of  Joshua,  Josh, 
lo:  12,  13.  But  instead  of  continuing  to  shine  as  they  did 
on  that  memorable  occasion,  they  withdraw  into  their  habi- 
tations, and  thus  at  once  conceal  themselves  from  view  and 
plunge  the  world  into  total  darkness.  The  "habitation"  of 
the  sun  signifies  the  places  whither  he  retires  from  observa- 
tion and  shuts  in  his  glories.  The  west  as  the  place  of  sun- 
set is  thus  called  his  tent  or  tabernacle.  Some,  in  view  of 
this  fact,  interpret  this  passage  of  the  sudden  descent  of  the 
sun  and  moon  to  the  western  horizon.  But  this  is  incon- 
sistent with  the  signification  of  the  verb  "to  stand,"  which 
conveys  the  idea  that  they  remained  just  where  they  were. 
Gesenius  thinks  the  term  "habitation"  refers  to  one  of  the 
poetic  signs  of  the  Zodiac,  which  were  called  by  the  He- 
brews, "the  inns  of  the  sun."  But  these  terms  have  refer- 
ence to  his  annual  motion,  and  would  be  unsuitable  here^ 
where  the  reference  plainly  is  to  his  diurnal  motion.  It  is 
preferable,  therefore,  to  undejstand  that  sun  and  moon  with- 
drew each  into  its  own  habitation  composed  of  the  storm- 
clouds  that  cover  the  earth.  The  cause  of  their  withdrawal 
is  the  terrible  display  of  Jehovah's  might,  which  has  been 
described  in  its  effect  upon  the  mountains  by  trembling, 
upon  the  waters  by  roaring,  and  upon  the  sun  and  moon 
not  merely  by  becoming  pale,  (Ewald,)  but  by  their  entire 
obscuration.  The  glory  of  the  coming  conqueror  is  mani- 
lested  in  the  light  of  His  arrows  and  the  brightness  of  His 
glittering  spear,  from  both  of  which  emanates  the  highest 
brilliancy  because  these  instruments  belong  to  a  conquering 
and  glorious  God.  The  verb  translated  "go  forth"  is  in  the 
Piel  form,  and  expresses  the  rapidity  and  power  with  which 
the  heavenly  bodies  shall  go  forth  to  execute  their  mission 
as  they  did  in  the  days  of  Joshua. 


94  A   COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

T2.  In  indignation  thou  shalt  march  through  the  earth;  in 
anger  thou  shalt  trample  the  nations.  Displaying  His  hatred 
of  sin,  and  inflicting  its  due  punishment,  Jehovah  passes 
through  the  earth  with  the  rapid,  onward  march  of  a  con- 
queror, as  in  Judges  5:  6;  Psahn  68:  8;  Isa.  63:  6.  He  de- 
stroys not  all  nations,  for  He  has  come  to  save  His  own 
people.  Nothing  can  hinder  His  progress.  He  goes 
whithersoever  He  pleases  upon  the  face  of  the  earth.  The 
nations  are  trodden  beneath  His  feet  with  as  much  ease  as 
the  unresisting  grain  is  threshed  out  upon  the  floor. 

/J.  Thoji  hast  gone  out  luito  tJie  salvation  of  thy 
people^  unto  the  salvation  of  thine  anointed;  thoit 
hast  smitten  the  head  from  the  house  of  the  zvicked^  to 
lay  bare  the  foundation  luito  the  neck.  Selah.  The  object 
which  Jehovah  had  in  view  in  His  interference  is  the  de- 
deliverence  of  His  people,  and  His  anointed,  and  the  pun_ 
ishment  of  their  wicked  enemies.  Several  ancient  versions 
take  the  Hebrew  particle  which  occurs  in  the  clause  as  a 
preposition  and  translate  "for  salvation  with  thine 
anointed,'^  i.  e.,  with  the  promised  Messiah.  The  objection 
to  this  version  is  that  in  the  preceding  description  of  Jeho- 
vah, no  one  was  mentioned  as  His  companion.  It  is  better, 
therefore,  to  regard  the  particle  as  the  illustrative  particle 
which  points  at  the  anointed  as  the  object  of  the  action  im- 
plied in  the  salvation.  Our  word  Messiah  is  merely  the  an- 
glicized form  of  the  Hebrew  word  here  translated  "anointed," 
as  "Christ"  is  of  the  Greek  word  by  which  the  old  versions 
interpret  it.  Anointing  is  the  sign  of  the  gifts  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  It  was  therefore  employed  in  the  consecration  of 
the  prophets,  priests,  and  kings,  to  signify  the  bestowal  of 
those  gifts  which  were  requisite  to  the  proper  discharge  of 
these  offices.  Kings  are  especially,  in  the  Scriptures,  the 
Lord's  anointed,  inasmuch  as  they  held  the  highest  oflice 
and  were  peculiar  types  ot  Christ  and  of  His  position  as  Head 
of  the  Church.  The  rite  of  unction  is  expressly  recorded 
in  the  cases  of  Saul,  David,  and  Solomon,  and  is  supposed 


PROPHECY   OF   HABaKKUK.  95 

to  have  been  practised  also  in  the  case  of  their  successors. 
From  Ps.  2:  2,  and  Dan.  9:  2,  the  title  Messiah  becomes  the 
common  title  of  the  great  Deliverer  whom  the  Jews  ex- 
pected even  before  the  advent  of  Christ.  The  application 
of  the  term  in  this  passage  to  the  coming  Messiah  is 
adopted  by  many,  among  others  by  Delitzsch.  The  idea 
thus  suggested  is  that  the  preservation  of  the  Messiah  was 
actually  involved  in  the  deliverance  of  God's  people,  be- 
cause He  was  to  spring  from  the  Jews.  To  permit  the  de- 
struction of  the  Jewish  nation  would  be  to  falsify  all  the 
prophecies  respecting  the  coming  Saviour.  As  the  Messiah 
was  especially  represented  in  every  generation  by  a  king 
who  was  the  I^ord's  anointed,  it  is  better  to  refer  the  term 
to  the  ideal  personage,  who  was  the  special  type  of  the  royal 
Messiah,  and  to  apply  the  term  in  the  text  to  the  whole 
series  of  anointed  ones  culminating  in  the  person  of  Christ. 
iVll  these,  both  types  and  anti-type,  Jehovah  went  out  to  de- 
liver. Some  take  the  "anointed"  to  mean  the  Jewish  nation, 
but  the  application  of  this  term  to  the  people  is  rare  if  not 
unexampled.  In  designating  the  Chaldean,  the  prophet  re- 
curs to  an  epithet  which  he  had  before  applied  to  that 
nation.  His  "house"  means  not  merely  his  family  or  his 
kingdom,  but  rather  his  home  as  the  place  of  his  residence, 
the  repository  of  his  treasures,  the  seat  of  his  power,  and  the 
scene  of  his  social  enjoyment.  The  "head"  is  the  upper 
portion  of  the  building  which  Jehovah  smites  and  over- 
throws, so  as  to  render  it  no  longer  habitable,  and  thus 
makes  the  Chaldean  a  houseless  vagabond.  The  destruc- 
tion of  the  house  is  total.  The  building  must  be  over- 
thrown until  the  foundation  is  laid  bare  unto  the  neck. 
The  "neck"  is  probably  an  architectural  term  denoting  the 
lower  part,  or  foundation  upon  which  the  building  rests. 
Since  in  the  human  frame  the  neck  unites  the  head  and  the 
body,  it  is  frequently  applied  in  various  languages  to  any- 
thing that  forms  a  bond  of  union  or  connecting  link,  as  in 
the  phrase  "a  neck  of  land."     So   here,    the    neck  of  the 


96  A    COMMENTARY   OX   THE 

foundation  or  house  is  the  base  on  which  it  rests,  and  by 
which  it  is  fastened  to  the  earth.  Maurer  and  others  inter- 
pret the  phrase  to  mean  "as  high  as  the  neck,  in  altitudine 
colli,"  i.  e.,  only  so  much  of  it  remains  as  would  reach  to  the 
height  of  one's  neck.  The  language  of  this  clause  reminds 
us  of  the  first  promise,  that  ''the  seed  of  the  woman  should 
bruise  the  serpent's  head,"  a  prophecy  which  has  had  many 
fulfillments,  one  of  which  consisted  in  the  overthrow  of  the 
Chaldeans.  The  "Selah"  or  "Pause"  suggests  the  propriety  of 
another  season  of  meditation,  of  adoration,  thanksgiving 
and  prayer. 

//.  Thou  J  last  pierced  with  his  own  missiles  the  head  of 
his  leaders;  they  shall  rush  on  to  scatter  me;  their  rejoicing  is  as 
to  devour  the  poor  in  a  lurking  place.  The  prophet  still 
continues  to  describe  Jehovah's  work,  and  addresses  Him  in 
the  second  person  singular.  In  the  execution  of  His  plans, 
God  has  administered  a  decisive  blow  to  His  enemies,  by 
smiting  their  chief  ruler.  In  a  despotic  government  like 
the  Chaldean,  all  power  resides  in  the  autocrat,  and  when  he 
is  smitten  the  whole  body  is  rendered  powerless.  Jehovah 
has  smitten  "with  his  own  missiles,"  i.  e.,  has  turned 
against  him  the  very  weapons  by  which  the  despot  obtained 
and  maintained  his  authority.  Delitzsch  and  others  trans- 
late the  word  rendered  "leaders"  by  "tribes,  hordes," 
which,  though  it  be  correct,  affects  the  general  sense  but 
little.  The  pronominal  suffix  in  the  word  translated  "his 
missiles"  is  by  some  referred  to  the  people  in  verse  13,  and 
by  others  to  the  anointed.  But  as  the  suffix  in  the  word 
rendered  "leaders"  certainly  refers  to  the  Chaldeans,  it  is 
better  to  give  this  one  the  same  reference.  The  verb  trans- 
lated "rush  on,"  is  the  root  ot  the  noun  signifying  "a 
storm,  a  tempest."  It  describes  the  bold  and  restless  efforts 
of  the  Chaldeans  to  destroy  the  chosen  people.  The 
prophet  speaks  of  himself  here  as  in  i:  12,  as  the  representa- 
tive of  his  scattered  nation.  The  Chaldeans  have  also 
treated  the    people    of    God,  not  only  as  the  bold  warrior 


PROPHECY   OF   HABAKKUK.  97 

treats  his  conquered  foes,  but  like  the  crafty  robber  who 
lies  in  wait  for  his  victim,  seizes  upon  him  by  stealth,  and 
brings  him  to  his  own  lurking  place  to  despoil  him.  "The 
poor"  one  is  a  Irequent  designation  of  God's  people. 

75.  Thou  hast  passed  through  the  sea  with  thine  horses^ 
through  the  boiling  of  many  waters.  As  Jehovah  passed 
through  the  Red  Sea  with  His  people  and  thus  delivered 
them  from  the  hand  of  the  Egyptians,  so  now  He  will 
traverse  the  sea  again  and  will  deliver  His  people  from  the 
hand  of  the  Chaldeans.  He  thus  permits  no  obstacle,  how- 
ever great,  to  prevent  the  accomplishment  of  His  designs. 
"The  boiling  of  many  waters"  is  a  poetic  description  of 
"the  sea"  in  the  first  clause,  and  represents  the  magnitude 
and  multitude  of  the  dangers  b}'  which  God's  people  are 
threatened.  Other  interpreters  render  the  phrase  "the 
dregs  of  many  waters,"  and  understand  it  as  a  designation 
ot  the  unclean  and  impure  character  of  the  enemies,  or 
as  descriptive  of  the  bed  or  bottom  of  the  sea  upon  which 
the  passage  is  made. 

16-19.  ^^^^  prophet  describes  the  efiects  of  fear  and 
anxiety  produced  by  this  revelation  in  every  part  of  his 
person,  and  his  earnest  desire  for  rest  from  trouble  such  as 
would  accompany  a  Chaldean  invasion,  (V.  16,)  and  then 
declares  his  strong  faith  in  the  superintending  providence 
of  God,  which  shall  give  him  all  needed  help.  In  the  most 
dangerous  circumstances  God  will  supply  him  with  strength, 
comfort  and  rejoicing,  (vs.  17-19.) 

16.  I  heard  and  my  belly  trembled;  at  the  voice  yny  lips 
quivered;  rottenness  shall  cojne  into  my  bones^  and  under  me  I 
shall  tremble^  who  shall  rest  unto  a  day  of  distress^  to  the  go- 
ing up  of  the  people^  he  will  invade  him.  The  prophet  re- 
turns here  to  the  same  point  whence  he  set  out  in  verse  2. 
That  which  he  "heard"  was  the  whole  communication  made 
to  him  in  the  preceding  chapter  concerning  the  rise  of  the 
Chaldeans,  God's  employment  of  them  as  His  rod,  and  their 
final  overthrow,  which  is  the  special  subject  of  the   second 


98  A    COMMENTARY   ON   THE 

and  third  chapters.  The  revelation  made  to  him  produced 
extreme  anxiety  and  tear,  which  were  attended  by  the  usual 
physical  symptoms.  "The  voice"  is  that  of  Jehovah,  which 
proclaimed  to  him  the  prophecies  in  i:  5-11;  2:2-20;  3:  2-15. 

The  word  here  rendered  "quivered"  is  the  one  usually 
translated  "tingled"  and  applied  to  the  tingling  of  the  ears 
on  hearing  dreadful  news.  Some  suppose  there  is  an  allu- 
sion here  to  the  sound  produced  by  the  lips  when  under  the  in- 
fluence of  high  nervous  excitement,  or  by  an  unconscious 
attempt  to  imitate  the  words  communicated  by  Jehovah.  It 
is  better,  however,  touse  what  seems  to  be  the  original  signifi- 
cation of  the  verb,  viz.,  "to  vibrate,  palpitate,  quiver."  It 
then  expresses  the  nervous  tremor  of  the  lips  in  time  of  terror. 
The  ancient  versions  generally  have  "trembling"  instead  of 
"rottenness,"  either  because  they  had  a  different  word  in 
their  copies  of  the  prophecy,  which  is  not  probable,  or  as 
expressive  of  the  sense  of  the  word  employed.  The  mean- 
ing of  the  phrase  "rottenness  shall  come  into  my  bones"  is 
that  his  bones  no  longer  gave  strength  and  stability  to  his 
frame.  They  were  as  useless  as  though  thoroughly  dis- 
eased. The  phrase  "under  me"  is  translated  by  some  "in 
my  place."  We  prefer  to  give  "I  who  shall  rest,"  i.  e., 
must  remain  passive,  unable  to  prevent  coming  trouble,  and 
compelled  to  submit  to  the  execution  of  Jehovah's  will.  The 
"day  of  distress"  was  the  day  when  Judah  should  be  over- 
whelmed by  Chaldea.  It  was  still  future,  and  until  it  came 
the  prophet  must  rest.  "To  the  going  up  of  the  people,  he 
will  invade  him,"  i.  e.,  until  the  Chaldean  who  shall  in- 
vade Judah  shall  come  up  against  the  Jewish  people.  This 
was  the  first  great  act  in  the  work  of  God,  and  the  one  in 
which  the  people  were  interested.  Though  a  sad  day  in 
itself,  it  would  yet  be  the  harbinger  of  a  glorious  day  when 
the  purification  of  God's  people  should  be  completed  and 
their  enemies  totally  overthrown. 

//.     For  the  fig  tree  shall  not  bloom^  and  (there  shall  be) 
no  produce  on  the  vines^    the  work  {fruit)  of   the   olive    has 


PROPHECY    OF    HABAKKUK.  99 

failed,  and  the  fields  not  yielded  food,  the  flock  has  been  cut 
Oj^from  the  fold,  and  ?to  herd  in  the  stalls.  This  verse  as- 
signs the  reason  for  the  application  of  the  term,  "the  day  of 
distress"  to  the  future.  The  country  will  be  involved  in 
all  the  evil  consequences  of  an  invasion,  which  should  reach 
everything  upon  which  the  people  depended  for  support  and 
comfort.  The  whole  country  shall  be  as  though  a  blight 
had  fallen  upon  the  crops  and  a  murrain  upon  the  cattle. 

i8.  And  I  will  rejoice  in  fehovah,  and  exult  in  the  God 
of  my  salvation.  In  strong  contrast  with  the  sterility  and 
gloom  of  the  face  ot  nature,  the  prophet  has  found  a  source 
of  happiness,  which  fills  him  with  joy  and  exultation.  This 
is  Jehovah,  the  God  of  his  salvation,  by  whom  he  and  his 
people  shall  be  delivered. 

ig.  fehovah,  Lord,  is  my  strength,  and  he  has  made  my 
feet  like  hinds,  he  has  caused  77ie  to  walk  on  my  heights.  To 
(or  for)  the  chief  musician,  on  my  stringed  instrumejtts.  The 
prophet  still  speaks  as  the  representative  of  his  people,  and 
expresses  his  faith  in  the  ability  of  Jehovah  to  help  His 
people,  and  the  consequent  security  of  all  that  trust  in  Him. 
The  same  sentiment  is  found  in  Ps.  i8:  33.  The  word 
translated  "Lord"  is  the  one  which  the  Jews  usually  sub- 
stituted for  "Jehovah,"  which  they  never  utter.  When, 
however,  it  occurs  in  immediate  connection  with  "Jehovah," 
as  here,  they  substitute  the  word  "Elohim,  God,"  for  "Jeho- 
vah." "Hinds"  are  described  as  the  swiftest  of  their  kind, 
and  some  suppose  that  the  female  is  mentioned  here,  because 
swifter  than  the  male.  It  hence  readily  escapes  pursuit. 
Thus  the  prophet  hopes  to  escape  the  impending  evil 
which  Jehovah  has  revealed.  The  "heights"  are  the  moun- 
tain tops,  where  the  hind  is  in  perfect  satety,  because  inac- 
cessible to  her  pursuers.  So  shall  a  refuge  be  found  for 
God's  people  in  all  times  of  trouble.  The  term  translated 
"chief  musician,"  is  applied  to  an  overseer  to  whose  charge 
any  work  is  committed,  and  especially  to  the  director  of  the 
temple  music.     This  prayer  ot  Habakkuk  is  said  to  be  "to" 


lOO  A    COMMENTARY   ON    THE 

(or  for)  him  as  the  chief  performer.  "My  stringed  instru- 
ments." This  may  be  connected  with  the  preceding  term, 
and  so  point  out  the  chief  musician  as  the  director  of  the  in- 
strumental music,  or  it  may  be  designed  to  inform  him  on 
what  the  psahn  is  to  be  performed.  The  expression  7iegi- 
nothai^  "my  stringed  instruments,"  is  possibly  a  compound 
word,  several  of  which  appear  in  this  prophecy.  Some  in- 
terpreters suggest  that  it  consists  of  the  noun  neginoth  and 
ai^  an  abbreviation  of  fah^  one  of  the  names  of  the  Deity. 
It  would  then  signify  the  stringed  instruments  of  Jah,  and 
describes  those  consecrated  to  Jehovah  and  used  in  the  tem- 
ple service  under  the  direction  of  the  chiet  singer.  This 
view  is  supported  by  the  lollowing  considerations  :  First, 
the  chief  musician  executed  his  office  in  the  courts  of  the 
temple  upon  instruments  consecrated  to  the  use  of  Jehovah. 
These  could  not  be  said  to  belong  to  any  man.  Neither 
Hezekiah,  who  uses  this  phrase  in  Isa.  38:  23,  nor  Habakkuk, 
though  probably  a  Levite,  would  have  spoken  of  these  holy 
instruments  as  his  own.  This  interpretation  is  entirely 
consistent  with  the  use  of  the  word  in  both  places  already 
mentioned.  Secondly,  the  title  was  the  customary  abbrevi- 
ation of  the  name  Jah  or  Jehovah.  Many  proper  names 
show  traces  of  the  same  composition.  Among  them  is 
Adhonai^  the  name  of  Jehovah,  which  is  interpreted  "the 
Lord  Jah."  In  this  case  the  vo^oi  pattahh  is  lengthened 
into  kamets,  because  always  pronounced  with  reverence, 
and  the  same  effect  is  produced  in  the  case  of  negmothai 
by  the  pause  accent.  Other  illustrations  of  this  composi- 
tion may  be  found  in  the  names  Ammishaddai,  Num.  i:  12; 
Barzillai,  II  Sam.  17:  27;  Haggai;  Hushai,  II  Sam.  15:  32; 
Sarai,  Gen.  11:  22.  The  interpretation  "on  my  stringed  in- 
struments" is  now  more  generally  adopted,  and  is  in  entire 
accordance  with  the  principles  of  Hebrew  grammar.  This 
translr  implies  that  the  prophet  Habakkuk  was  a  Levite, 
and  nected  with  the  musicians  ot  the  temple    service 

as  to  airc^L  the  performance  ot  their  public  religious  exer- 
cises or  a  portion  of  them.     See  the  Introduction. 


lOO 


A    COMMENTARY   ON    THE 


(or  for)  him  as  the  chief  performer.  "My  stringed  instru- 
ments." This  may  be  connected  with  the  preceding  term, 
and  so  point  out  the  chief  musician  as  the  director  of  the  in- 
strumental music,  or  it  may  be  designed  to  inform  him  on 
what  the  psahn  is  to  be  performed.  The  expression  negi- 
nothai^  "my  stringed  instruments,"  is  possibly  a  compound 
word,  several  of  which  appear  in  this  prophecy.  Some  in- 
terpreters suggest  that  it  consists  of  the  noun  neginoth  and 
a/,  an  abbreviation  of  fah^  one  of  the  names  of  the  Deity. 
It  would  then  signify  the  stringed  instruments  of  Jah,  and 
describes  those  consecrated  to  Jehovah  and  used  in  the  tem- 
ple service  under  the  direction  of  the  chiet  singer.  This 
view  is  supported  by  the  following  considerations  :  First, 
the  chief  musician  executed  his  office  in  the  courts  of  the 
temple  upon  instruments  consecrated  to  the  use  of  Jehovah. 
These  < — ^'^  ^^^^  ^' 


^  rf->  <   y-l 


■u^i. 


♦-v*  *^  * 


IxT  i~\H  i-  \-%  /-\-*^ 


Page  14.  Line  11. 

Page  14.  Line  25. 

Page  42.  Line  3. 

Page  55.  Line  11. 


ERRATA : 

Read  not  instead  of  "but." 
Insert  "mandates"  instead  ol 
Omit  "not." 

Omit  quotation  marks. 


Hezeki 
thouo^h 
instrun 
consist* 
mentio 
ation  o 
show  1 
Adhonc 
Lord  Ji 
into   k( 

and  the  „ .^ ^ 

by  the  pause  accent.  Other  illustrations  of  this  composi- 
tion may  be  found  in  the  names  Ammishaddai,  Num.  i:  12; 
Barzillai,  II  Sam.  17:  27;  Haggai;  Hushai,  II  Sam.  15:  32; 
Sarai,  Gen.  11:  22.  The  interpretation  "on  my  stringed  in- 
struments" is  now  more  generally  adopted,  and  is  in  entire 
accordance  with  the  principles  of  Hebrew  grammar.  This 
translr  implies  that  the  prophet  Habakkuk  was  a  Levite, 
and  nected  with  the  musicians  of  the   temple    service 

as  to  airc^L  the  performance  ot  tlieir  public  religious  exer- 
cises or  a  portion  of  them.     See  the  Introduction. 


] 


Date  Due 


Ap^f^.,^»«iafe 


:uli5fti:!J:. 


!':i;i:ji;;::t::i 


BS1645.K35 

A  commentary  on  the  prophecy  of 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00055  0832 


